WW1 German/Ottoman Turkish Ersatz EB46 Knife Bayonet & Scabbard US M1 Garand

Experience a piece of history with the WW1 German / Ottoman Turkish Ersatz EB46 Knife Bayonet & Scabbard, compatible with the US M1 Garand. This original bayonet hails from the 1910s, a testament to its authenticity and historical value. Crafted during a time of global conflict, it's a tangible connexion to the era of World War I and the militaria enthusiasts.
Originating from Germany and later used by Turkish forces, this bayonet bears the distinct EB46 marking, confirming its authenticity. The item is a must-have for collectors and historians alike, offering a unique glimpse into the past. Its inclusion within the realm of collectable militaria from 1914 - 1918 (WWI) underscores its significance and the stories it carries.

A FIRST WORLD WAR GERMAN MANUFACTURED 'ERSATZ' (SUBSTITUTE) MAUSER KNIFE BAYONET (EB46 - CARTER) MANUFACTURED TO FIT THE GEWEHR 88 COMMISSION RIFLE AND THE GEWEHR 98 AND MODIFIED AND SHORTENED BY THE OTTOMAN TURKS AND FITTED WITH A TURKISH UNIVERSAL SCABBARD DESIGNED TO FIT THE SHORTENED BLADE. IT WAS LATER ADAPTED BY THE TURKS TO FIT THE US M1 GARAND RIFLE.
 
This bayonet, is a very good example of the type designated ‘REFERENCE #47-322255’ in Dennis D. Ottobre's excellent CD ROM reference 'Observations on Turkish Bayonets' published in 2002.  It was originally produced in Germany during WW1 to fit the Gewehr 88 and 98 rifles and is of the type designated by Anthony Carter in his seminal ‘German Bayonets, Volume III’ and Roy Williams in his excellent reference work ‘The Collectors Book of German Bayonets 1680-1945 Part Two’ as an EB46.  It was later adapted by the Turks to equip the 'Export Pattern' 7.65mm Mauser Rifle, by having its blade and scabbard shortened and later had the crossguard replaced to equip the US made M1 Garand Rifle.

Ottobre gives a good account of how these bayonets came be altered by the Turks, he explains; “Turkey used bayonets and rifles of the "98" series in unmodified forms and subsequently modified many as time passed and standards changed.  Ottoman reissued bayonets were often marked on their crossguards with Osmanlica serial numbers while post 1928 Turkish issue pieces are found with western style numeral serial numbers on their crossguards and at times on their pommels. This example appears not to have been numbered.
 
The introduction of these 'Ersatz' bayonets dates back to the early days of WW1, when Germany could not meet, from existing stocks and production facilities, the increased demand for equipment from the rapidly expanding Imperial German Forces (consisting of Prussian, Saxon and Bavarian Army’s).   Attempts were therefore made to supplement the regular issue with simplified patterns. As no approved pattern was defined, many different variants exist, this one was originally designed to fit the Gewehr 88 and 98 rifles. Ersatz bayonets were by definition simple, mass produced and by pre-war standards, crude, weapons designed to fill a gap.  Many variations exist and most, unlike this EB46, have either plain or pressed steel hilts.  This bayonet has the nine grooved sheet steel hilt with integral pommel and grips and fullered blade.
 
When standard issue Sg 98/05 bayonet production caught up with demand the "Ersatzen" were withdrawn from front line service and a large number appear to have been transferred to Germany's Ottoman Turkish allies.   As a result, at wars end, the Turkish inventory included large numbers of German ersatz bayonets and according to Ottobre they ‘acquired many more on the Post-WWI surplus market’.  Many had their blades shortened and were modified after 1935 to fit "export pattern" rifles by adding new crossguards or modifying existing crossguards to employ a high mounted "export pattern" muzzle ring. This example is an example of one of these adapted bayonets with its fullered, purpose made, shortened blade.  It has a new crossguard welded into original position.  The flat sided thin stamped crossguard with 13mm MRID was almost certainly designed for use with the U.S. M1 Garand.
 
This is a very good quality unaltered German manufactured First World War Ersatz EB46bayonet. This bayonet has a 9 groove sheet steel contoured hilt with round oil hole and a circular push button and a Turkish adapted thin stamped crossguard with 13mm MRID for use with U.S. M1 Garand..  Single edge steel blade with deep square fullers. The Turkish manufactured universal scabbard has been adapted with a narrow throat to fit this bayonet and is in very good condition with the little of the usual wear and impact marking associated with Turkish weapons. 
 
German and Ottoman Turkish forces on all fronts, including the Dardanelles, Mesopotamia and Palestine, and throughout WW1 employed these bayonets. They were made to equip the Mausers used by Ottoman Turkish troops and the German Asien-Korps or Levantekorps soldiers who fought alongside them. Later they were adapted to fit the US supplied M1 Garand’s used by the Turkish Brigade fighting with the UN during the Korean war.  To illustrate this aspect of the conflict I’ve attached to this listing seven photographs. The first two show German troops equipped with EB 46 in WW1. The first shows five soldiers from the 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment raised in Silesia all equipped with similar EB47 while the second shows a soldier from an unidentified regiment photographed in Belgium in 1914/15 with a Gewehr 88 and EB47 fixed. Also attached are three period photographs showing similar bayonets in use with the Ottoman Turks and the post war Turkish military.  The first shows a marching column of Ottoman Turkish Infantry.  The soldier on the right of the front row is Second Lieutenant Mehmed Fasih, 2nd Battalion, 47th Regiment, 16th Division, Fifth Army. Second Lieutenant Mehmed Fasih had already served at Gallipoli with the 47th Regiment at Anzac in May 1915 and had been wounded early on.  Hanging from his belt is an Ersatz Bayonet.  The second photograph shows Ottoman Turkish Infantry on parade, two of who have Ersatz bayonets fitted to their Export Pattern rifles.  The third picture shows Turkish Infantry enteringKadıköy on the 6th April 1923, a number of them have Ersatz Bayonets fixed to their rifles. The last two images were taken during the Korean War and show soldiers from the Turkish Brigade, equipped with US made and supplied M1 Garrands and various bayonets.

Type: German Ersatz EB 10 (Unaltered)
Overall Length: 385.0 mm
Blade Length:  255.0 mm
Blade Width (at guard):  25.0 mm
Muzzle Ring Diameter (MRD): 13 mm
Scabbard: Turkish Universal, blued steel with wide throat.
Overall length of scabbard:  268.0 mm
 
The fullered blade is in good patinated condition consistent with age and use.  It appears to never have been blued.  The steel hilt is very good as is the Turkish Universal steel scabbard with little of the impact marks characteristic on Turkish
 

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