This bayonet is the Yugoslav M1924/30 model, used by the Germans as the S109(j). It is intended to fit the M24 Mauser pattern rifle to be seen here. This one was manufactured by Vojno Technicki Zavod and has their triangular ricasso stamp with BT3 inside.
This M24 Mauser came to me untouched from it’s journey post-1945 and complete including matching serials, King Peter II cartouche and original sling mounts.
With the First World War over, the newly formed country of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later known as Yugoslavia) decided they wanted a standardized rifle for their front line troops. After a brief trials, they came up with an almost exact copy of Germany’s K98k rifle – the biggest difference being that the action was 1/8 inch shorter than Germany’s standard infantry rifle. The first 100,000 rifles came from FN, and the remaining examples (which were produced through WWII) were built at the Yugoslavian national armory. There were three main configurations of this rifle: two carbines and one rifle.
This example is marked BOJHOTEX.ЗАВОД – Крагујевцу (Military Technical Institute 1932-1941) on the sidewall indicating a Yugoslav arsenal origin.
This is the Soviet campaign medal issued to those who participated in the liberation of Belgrade in 1944.
This is a commemorative medal issued in 1981 celebrating 40 years of the Yugoslav People’s Army. This refers to Josep Tito’s communist forces.
This medal was awarded to the foreign fighters who fought as members of Tito’s Partisans for the liberation of Yugoslavia during the Second World War. It was issued shortly after the end of the war. The medal has an inscription on the back that reads “Smrt Fašizmu – Sloboda Narodu”, which translates as “Death to Fascism – Freedom to the People”. That was the slogan of the Yugoslav liberation fighters led by Marshal Tito.
This is a commemorative medal issued in 1951 celebrating 10 years of the Yugoslav People’s Army. This refers to Josep Tito’s communist forces.
This Yugoslavian medal was created in August 1943. The words mean “Freedom to the People!, Death to Fascism”. Awesome. Some 120,636 of these were awarded apparently although this one is numbered 139370.
Kiwi Medals 