An Antiques Roadshow guest was left “blown away” after receiving an astonishing valuation for his Second World War “fighting knife”.
Expert Robert Tilney said “something wonderful, wonderful” had “totally made my day” as it is one of only “a few thousand”.
The knife was used by the guest’s father when he worked for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), also known as ‘Churchill’s Secret Army’.
It was explained that the handmade Fairbairn-Sykes combat knife was purchased for Lieutenant LH Massey to complete commando training for the force and then train the Polish resistance in the same manner.
The sword was a pass for the ‘Inter-Services Research Bureau’ (ISRB), a bogus organization based on Baker Street as a front for the SOE.
An Antiques Roadshow guest (seen) was left “blown away” after receiving an astonishing appraisal for his father’s Second World War combat knife.
The Fairbairn-Sykes combat knife was made specifically for close combat by secret commandos operating in occupied Europe, by creators William Fairbairn and Eric Sykes.
Expert Robert Tilney said the “wonderful, wonderful thing” had “totally made my day” as one of only “a few thousand” before giving it a valuation of £5,000.
“This is interesting,” Mr. Tilney began, “it’s a pass for Lieutenant LH Massey of the Inter-Services Investigation Office.”
“It’s interesting because the Inter-Services Investigation Office did not exist.”
The guest explained that after being invited to join the ISRB, senior officers took his father to another room and told him the true nature of his employment.
“When they told my father to report to the ISRB headquarters in Baker Street, London, they gave him this pass and told him that he had joined the organisation, but not what it was or what it did,” he revealed.
ISRB was the cover name for SOE, not that Lieutenant Massey had ever heard of it.
One of the new recruit’s first tasks was to get his own equipment, including a 16-shilling Wilkinson Sword fighting knife.
The FS combat knife was developed by William Fairbairn and Eric Sykes specifically for the hand-to-hand combat that would be carried out by the SOE, in which the latter worked with Lieutenant Massey.
That meant the dagger featured on the BBC One show had been tampered with by its own designer, prompting Mr Tilney to say: “With that, I’d put £5,000 on that.”
“It’s the most amazing thing, run by the guy who invented it.” That has completely made my day.’
The guest was speechless and said, “I’m amazed.”
The guest’s father, Lieutenant LH Massey, had to buy the knife before going for commando training in the Scottish highlands.
Lieutenant Massey’s dagger was purchased for 16 shillings at Wilkinson Sword.
Churchill’s SOE was formed in 1940 to carry out espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance on the occupied continent, as well as to assist European resistance movements.
Fairbairn and Sykes taught agents destined to serve in the field at Arisaig, Scotland, although the SOE’s main base was at Baker Street.
Officers also completed training in parachute, demolition and security, and tradecraft.
It was disbanded after the war in 1946 by the new Prime Minister Clement Atlee despite the head of the SOE, Lord Selborne, arguing for its continuation despite having created a strained relationship with other government and military bodies.