Rare WW1 9th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers Fighting Knife (Welsh Knife), untouched example of the extremely rare WW1 fighting knife, referred to as the Welsh Knife, with steel pommel, grip with the original roped binding and the correct folding circular guard. Unmarked hand forged swollen blade with a medial ridge. The blade does suffer from some surface staining. The knife is housed in its very rare leather scabbard as opposed to the more commonly found cloth covered scabbard. The leather belt loop on the scabbard is well worn and incomplete. The knifes blade measures 44 ½ cms, overall 60cms. he Welsh knife was believed to be stylised on a medieval Welsh weapon. The knife was designed in 1916 by Felix Joubert and patented by him. at the behest of Lord Howard de Walden. De Walden shared Joubert’s interest in medieval weapons and had the knives issued to the 9th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, with whom he was serving as a Major. The Imperial War Museum London has in its archives a memorandum, dated 27 January 1920, which relates information on the knife supplied by Colonel H Lloyd Williams, late Commander of the 9th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Lord Howard de Walden commanded the Battalion between September and December 1917; Lloyd Williams took command in October 1918). The memorandum states – “9th Batt’n. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. This battalion made use of a knife with which all machine gunners and bombers were always equipped. Every member of a raiding party was so armed and in one raid on the Messines Ridge two days before the battle of Messines they were used with conspicuous success. They were provided by Lord Howard de Walden and were a replica of a weapon used by Ancient Welsh tribes. They were double-edged, but were intended more for bayonetting than cutting.’