help identifying service number on a kukri

[SamuelSimpson1970]

Gentlemen, 

 

I have recently bought this antique kukri at auction and was hoping to research the owner, there seems to be a service number impressed, but am not having any luck so far.  Any help or advice would be appreciated.  It reads 1466952'LAC.C.FARRELL.  I take it this would be to an British officer attached to a Ghurka regiment??

[oamotme]

Hi, LAC = Leading Aircraftman thus RAF - not an officer, Regards, Owain

[SamuelSimpson1970]

I am having difficulty finding anything on Ancestry or Find My Past

 

[peter monahan]

In the British and Indian Armies of that period, officers did not have serial numbers.  Each was known by a unique name, which is why if you examine an Indian Army List from WWI or WWII you'll find officers named 'Smith' with up to four initials, or with their mother's maiden name hyphenated in to make their name unique.

This is not an issue kukri and doesn't even look like the regimental presentation ones with which I'm familiar.  I believe it is a tourist piece, perhaps of some age, which was personalized by the seller. 

Peter

 

[Chris Boonzaier]

I do not think it is a tourist piece, too well made.... lets not forget, for every Ghurka Kukri or presentation piece there are probably half a dozen period civilian ones.... Not everything has a military connection. I have 2 nice quality ones which I dig out when the wife wants to cull the chickens, both are commercial WW2 era ones sold to soldiers in theater during the war. In the case of the two i have, both were American soldiers, onr to an officer with his name.

[peter monahan]

Very good points, Chris.  I have an unfortunate tendency to class them all as either military or 'tourist', which is not accurate and in this case quite probably wrong.  Thanks for the input.

[Charpoy Chindit]

Assuming that we are talking about WW2, British and Indian officers most certainly did have service numbers, but this seems to be a RAF LAC.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Charpoy Chindit

[peter monahan]

On 07/09/2020 at 19:15, Charpoy Chindit said:

Assuming that we are talking about WW2, British and Indian officers most certainly did have service numbers, but this seems to be a RAF LAC.

I expressed myself very poorly and without sufficient care!   My head is bowed in shame.

The 'period' I was thinking of was the Great War, not WWII.  For the former, I believe that commissioned officers of the British, Indian and other Imperial armies were not assigned 'attestation' numbers.  For the Second War, they were.  Thanks for the correction, Charpoy.

Peter 

Edited September 10, 2020 by peter monahan