KNIFE, POCKET

Description: STEEL POCKET KNIFE, WITH BLACK BAKELITE HANDLE. HANDLE IS FORMED INTO TINY PYRAMID SHAPES. HAS A BOTTLE OPENER BLADE, MARKED "1942 RICHARDS SHEFFIELD", THERE IS AN UPWARDS POINTING ARROW ABOVE THIS. ALSO HAS A RECTANGULAR SHAPED BLADE, AND AN AWL? ON OPPOISTE SIDE. KNIFE HAS A LANYARD TIED TO IT. LANYARD IS MADE FROM BROWNISH TWINE. UPDATE 22 NOVEMBER 2012: THIS OBJECT WAS FOUND TO BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY ITS PROXIMITY TO CELLULOSE NITRATE TOOTHBRUSH (P19970073050) IN THE LATE SUMMER OF 2012. IT AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER OBJECTS SUFFERED CORROSION AS THE RESULT OF THE TOOTHBRUSH’S OFF GASSING OF NITRIC ACID. THE DETERMINATION OF A CAUSE OF THE CORROSION AND THE SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT OF AFFECTED OBJECTS WAS ASSISTED BY AN AUTHORITY AT THE CANADIAN CONSERVATION INSTITUTE IN OTTAWA. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE OBJECTS’ TREATMENT, THE OBJECTS AFFECTED AND PRE & POST-TREATMENT PHOTOS, PLEASE SEE THIS OBJECT’S PERMANENT FILE.

History: THE DONOR OF THIS ARTIFACT, JOHN LLOYD KNIGHT, SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST SPECIAL SERVICE FORCE (ALSO KNOWN AS THE DEVILS BRIGADE) DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. KNIGHT CLAIMED THAT HE EVENTUALLY CAME TO WEAR THIS KNIFE IN HIS LEG POCKET. HE DID SO AS A PRECAUTION, IF HE WAS HIT. HE DID NOT WANT TO SUSTAIN A MORE SIGNIFICANT WOUND AS A RESULT OF THE BULLET HITTING THE KNIFE AND RICOCHETING. THE LANYARD WAS WORN FROM THE NECK OR WAIST TO PREVENT LOSS. HE RECALLED USING THE KNIFE AS CAN OPENER OR TO REPAIR THINGS. HE STATED THAT HE MAY HAVE USED THE SPIKE FOR CLIMBING. THE BLADE DISPLAYS A BRITISH BROAD ARROW MARKING. KNIGHT THOUGHT HE MAY HAVE COME BY IT WHILE TRAINING IN ISLE OF CAPRIS IN S. FRANCE, SUMMER, 1944 WHILE TRAINING FRENCH COMMANDOS. SEE RECORD P20000036001-GA FOR DONOR BIOGRAPHY AND BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FSSF.