No4 mk1* bayonet

[Butcherbill]

So a friend of mine gave me a bayonet for a no4 mk1*, it’s got the broad arrow stamped on it. Did they stamp them with only the broad arrow or would they have had the LB on ones as well? Not too familiar with No.4 bayonets, was fun to see my LB sporter with a bayonet attached.

He’s had it since he was a kid, they found a farm house attic full of them as well as CA helmets and other items back in Ontario. Here are pics of the markings, scabbard is a bit dented and the spike has a bit of rust at the tip but it should clean up alright.

 

[bgcameron]

Long Branch made bayonets would be marked with an "LB". Your bayonet is British made.

https://oldmilitarymarkings.com/brit_bayo.html

 

[brownie]

they are called pig stickers

 

[Butcherbill]

Thanks for the link bgcameron, I gather the 30 is the date of manufacture? I wasn’t aware of the no4 being adopted till the early 40’s, this would make it an early bayonet.

 

[JP]

British made during WW2: N 30 (Manufacturing code for Howard & Bullough; maker).

 

[green]

N30 code for Howard and Bullough, Accrington, UK

 

[Butcherbill]

That makes a lot more sense, I couldn’t make out the N. So is the * mark the sold out of service mark?

 

[bgcameron]

That makes a lot more sense, I couldn’t make out the N. So is the * mark the sold out of service mark?

http://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/Britian__No__4_Spike_Bayonet_/britain_spikes_2.html

The "*" means it is a simplified No4 MkII bayonet.

 

[Butcherbill]

http://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/Britian__No__4_Spike_Bayonet_/britain_spikes_2.html

The "*" means it is a simplified No4 MkII bayonet.

Cheers, great link. It may not be a Canadian bayonet but at least it’s close to the year of my ‘43 no4 LBfrom what it as about Howard & Bullough’s bayonet manufacturing period.

“The No. 4 Mk. II* (pronounced: number four, mark two, star) was a further simplified version, with the socket and blade two separate forgings. This lowered costs and allowed manufacture by subcontractors. This also disbursed production, mitigating the risk of production being interrupted by bombing. Two-piece construction gives the No. 4 Mk. II* its characteristic stepped join between blade and socket.
Four firms produced the No. 4 Mk. II*, all in the UK: Prince-Smith & Stells, Howard & Bullough, Lewisham Engineering, and the Baird Manufacturing Co. 1.4 million No. 4 Mk. II* bayonets were produced, over a million of which were produced by Prince-Smith. The other makers were much less prolific.”


“Howard & Bullough Co. of Accrington, Lancashire, was one of the smaller makers of the No. 4 Mk. II*, with approximately 161,026 reported produced, during 1942–1943.
Howard & Bullough converted from the manufacture of cotton spinning machines to the production of shells, gun carriages, mine sinkers, aircraft components, and bayonets. The company disappeared in 1970.”

 

[911caddy]

It sounds like you need to put the wood back on your sporter to make it look "right" with that bayo attached!! That's what I did!

 

[SteelFlint]

Great find!

 

[Butcherbill]

It sounds like you need to put the wood back on your sporter to make it look "right" with that bayo attached!! That's what I did!

I’ve thought about it as it’s a good candidate for desporterizing but I really love hunting with it and it’s about 10lbs as it sits currently, I like a sported Enfield too be honest. There’s something very Canadian about them for me.