In accordance with the invention, a composite silicon impregnated boron carbide body bonded to a backing material for said body is manufactured by forming a boron carbide powder compact of the desired shape and size, coating a surface of the compact with boron nitride powder, impregnating the boron nitride coated boron carbide powder compact with silicon, removing from the surface of said body at least most of the boron nitride layer and any silicon deposited thereon, and then bonding the silicon impregnated boron carbide body to the organic resin backing material.