*British, WW2: 1940–41, Rare Fairbairn-Sykes 1st Pattern with Two-Inch Guard – “30946” Field Force Commando Unit No 9 - No. “277” of c.500*
A highly important and exceptionally scarce example of the Fairbairn-Sykes First Pattern Fighting Knife, measuring 27.6cm overall with a 14.7cm hand-forged blade and the correct early 5cm two-inch crossguard with slight S-bend. The ricasso bears the commercial etched panel “THE F-S FIGHTING KNIFE” and a faded but distinct Wilkinson Sword maker’s panel, softened by age but still visible under angled light.
The nickel-plated chequered grip carries two striking numerical markings: the large five-digit “30946” on one side, and the individual issue number “277” on the reverse. These define it as part of the extraordinarily rare 30946-marked group of early First Patterns, with only sixty-three recorded survivors worldwide. The plating shows honest wartime handling wear, and the blade retains its long, narrow First Pattern profile with deep, stable patination. An untouched pommel nut and completely correct early production features complete an example that is both historically fascinating and highly desirable.
Historical Note:
This dagger belongs to the exceptionally scarce group of numbered First Pattern Fairbairn-Sykes knives produced between late 1940 and mid-1941, each marked with the distinctive five-digit 30946 and an individual serial number below 500. Early collector tradition linked these knives to Commando training in the Scottish Highlands, and later research by Paul MacDonald refined this by placing their earliest distribution at Inverailort House—the Army’s first Special Training Centre, established in May 1940. Located in the remote West Highlands of Scotland, Inverailort was where William Fairbairn and Eric Sykes taught close-quarters combat, silent killing and irregular-warfare techniques to the men who would become the nucleus of Britain’s new Commando force.
A major breakthrough came when archival research into War Office file WO33/2223 – Index to Field Force Units (May 1944) revealed that 30946 was the official Field Force Unit Serial Number of No. 9 Commando. This firmly places the numbered First Patterns within the documented equipment system of a specific wartime Commando unit. Period photographs showing similar five-digit codes on Commando kit bags confirm the numbering system, while the smaller number stamped on each knife—here 277—represents the individual weapon issue number within the batch.
No. 9 Commando itself had deep roots in the Inverailort programme: its personnel came largely from No. 6 and No. 7 Independent Companies, both among the first units trained under Inverailort’s irregular-warfare regimen following their return from Norway in 1940. These companies were amalgamated into the 2nd Special Service Battalion and redesignated No. 9 Commando later that year, with headquarters at Criccieth in North Wales—placing the formation of the unit precisely within the period when First Patterns were being produced and issued.
Although the Field Force index was printed in 1944, First Pattern production had ceased by 1941. Published research notes that it is highly unlikely such knives were held unused for years during a time of severe weapon shortages. The more credible conclusion is that the Field Force numbering system was already in practical use earlier and that the 1944 document was simply a later consolidated reference. This reconciles the dating and supports early issuance during the Inverailort period, alongside the later formal association with No. 9 Commando in War Office records.
No. 9 Commando went on to become one of Britain’s most active wartime raiding formations. They carried out coastal raids on German-occupied France, including Operation Sunstar in 1941, and later fought extensively in the Mediterranean. Their most significant actions came during the Italian campaign—at the Garigliano River (Operation Partridge), the bitter fighting at the Anzio beach-head, and the Comacchio Lagoon and Argenta Gap operations of 1945—before further service in Greece and disbandment in 1946. The demanding nature of these operations aligns closely with the heavy, operational wear seen on surviving examples of the 30946 series.
Taken together, the evidence presents a coherent and compelling history: these numbered First Patterns were produced during the formative period of Commando training at Inverailort in Scotland, and by the time the Field Force numbering system was formalised, they were already associated with No. 9 Commando, one of Britain’s elite wartime raiding units. With only sixty-three recorded examples, No. 277 is an exceptionally rare and historically rich First Pattern tied both to the birth of British Commando training and to the operational identity of No. 9 Commando.
*Condition*
The blade shows deep, even patination and stable pitting consistent with prolonged wartime use while retaining its original long-tapered First Pattern geometry. Ricasso etching is partially softened but still visible under angled light. The two-inch guard remains straight and untouched, with original oxidisation. The nickel-plated grip exhibits age-appropriate wear, impact marks and a well-preserved chequered pattern, with both 30946 and 277 clearly legible. The pommel nut is undisturbed. Overall, this is a complete, honest, and exceptionally rare example of a numbered First Pattern Fairbairn-Sykes dagger. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
