Naval Cutlass

[Jeffrey Meffert]

I've come across someone selling "Soviet Navy Cutlasses" which are dated 1946. I can't find such in any of my books and both the design of the sword and suspension (with a leather frog rather than hangers and rings) is different than any other soviet blades I've seen. Any ideas?

[Lapa]

Jeffrey,

I don't believe it to be Soviet.

Marc

[DougD]

They are soviet naval swords; there is one on display in the Central Naval Museum in St.Pete. All those I have seen have been dated 1946, but I am pretty sure they were used at the 1945 Victory Parade by officers.

DougD

[Jeffrey Meffert]

I guess it would have to be slipped over a standard black officers belt instead the brocade parade belt or use the black cloth/velour dagger belt. Perhaps it was junior officers who didn't rate the fancier belt? I've looked through VP pictures but they are very Army-centric and can't find anyone wearing or carrying such.

[DougD]

I think it was hung on the standard belt, but swords are not really my thing; i have a close up of one that was in the naval museum in one of my trip videos.

wish i could help more.

dd

[Kim]

I found it in my refrence books. It's the cutlass M/40 for Naval school students. But no pics of any container/frog/??? (lost the English word..sorry).

/Kim

[Lapa]

Kim,

Sheath maybe???

Marc

[Jeffrey Meffert]

The leather, slip on frog would make sense for naval cadet as they would not have been issued any other parade dagger/sword belts. I guess I won't feel obligated to pick one up then...unless I get a naval cadet uniform somewhere down the line.

[Nota Bene]

Guys,

The frog is original, but the tassel doesn't belong to this cutlass.

Alexei

[vvadim]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey Meffert

I've come across someone selling "Soviet Navy Cutlasses" which are dated 1946. I can't find such in any of my books and both the design of the sword and suspension (with a leather frog rather than hangers and rings) is different than any other soviet blades I've seen. Any ideas?

Naval cadet’s cutlass was introduced by the decree of the Council of Peoples' Commissars № 1673 on September 12, 1940, and declared by the order of People’s commissar of the Navy № 574 on September 20. Cutlasses were prescribed to bear by naval cadets in all cases during the presence outside of the territory of school.

According to resolution of Economical Council number 1906-574ss from December 14 1940 plant № 259 People’s commissariat of ammunition should produce and deliver to the Navy in 1941 10,000 cutlasses. The beginning of war prevented the fulfillment of this decision.

In April of 1944 – edged weapon section of plant № of 259 (Zlatoustovsky Instrumentalniy kombinat) was isolated into the plant № of 391 People’s commissariat of ammunition. Then plant № 391 was transferred to the people's commissariat of agricultural machine building and productions of edged weapons in 1945 was shifted to Izevskiy Mekhanicheskiy Zavod (IMZ) and it produced cutlasses in 1945 and 1946.

In 1952 in accordance with the order of Ministry of Defense number 344 only person on duty on the company (dezurniy po rote) was prescribe to carry the cutlass. Since 1958 cutlasses were left only for the assistants of banner bearer. In 1972 it was completely abolished.