A brief history of Enfield bayonets.

[Claven2]

The most commonly encountered Lee-Enfield bayonets:



From left to right:
1) P1888 Bayonet, issued with Long Lee Enfields and Long Lee Metfords.
2) P1903 Bayonet, issued with the SMLE MkI, and as a substitute standard with the MkIII
3) P1907 Bayonet, issued with the SMLE MkIII, MkIII*, Con'd IV, and MkI**IP. Early examples are sometimes found with a hooked quilion (expensive and rare)
4) P1907MkII*, issued in WW2, eastern theatre, with Indian forces. Also found with a rounded pommel like that on the P1907 bayonet (the MkII no *, both fullered and unfullered). Most were destroyed or stamped "DP" after the war.
5) The typical No.4MkII bayonet, issued with the No.4MkI and MkI*. Also encounteres is the identical looking MkII*, differing only in method of attachment of the rod/blade.
6) WW2 No.4MkIII bayonet, intended to be issued as a substitute standard with the No.4MkI and MkI*, though most were never issued.
7) No.9 bayonet, issued with the No.4Mk2.

Standard issue bayonet missing from the photo include the No.5Mk1 jungle carbine bayonet, the hooked quillion version of the P1907, the cruciform No.4Mk1 bayonet and the No.7Mk1 bayonet. Sorry for not including them, but I didn't have examples on hand for the photo

Information

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[A square 10]

excelent assortment and some very fine examples , wish my photos were as good as yours , but ill add them for the hooked quillon , no4 mkI cruciform , no5 and no7 swiveling socket ,



ausie 42 top , late P07 with clearing hole , early P07 without clearing hole and earlier P07 hookie -bottom



no7 swivel socket -left , no5 w/wood scales -center , no4 mkI cruciform - right

[No4Mk1(T)]

Hey I have a few of them too!



I love the Enfield bayonet game. A modest collection I know but a lot of fun to have.
I’m sorry I don’t have all the dates handy. I’ll have to pull the collection and add them later

[old-smithy]

Lets see if i can add a few
1902 trials (long version) became the 1903 with short blade (shown for comparison) - so include Afghan long 88's?



VTC



No6


red hilt No7 - the earlier version



No8



No5 Ist Pattern



You can add 4 major Indian models with 3 variations of each, The australain trials for their Jungle Carbine version with 3 blade lengths, and this little beauty whcih fits the No4



then there is Italian made for Enfield



Austrian for Enfield



got a few more but they are even less common

[bowkillpa]

I have only (1) Enfield Bayonet:

No.4 Mk II Step Shank Bayonet

Per British .303 Rifle Bayonets

This variation of spike bayonet is usually the most commonly encountered of the No 4 bayonets. Its spike consists of a sharpened rod, with the milled fluted having been omited to simplify production. This model was approved in 1941 and made by Singer and several other subcontractors in the UK and by Savage and Long Branch in North America. There are also two variants of the Mk II bayonet one has a smooth shank and the other is stepped.

I have the stepped which is black (picture is grey) and cosmo still inside.

[A square 10]

excelent , theres a few showing up i seldom get to see ,

[gew8805]

I have only (1) Enfield Bayonet:

No.4 Mk II Step Shank Bayonet

Per British .303 Rifle Bayonets

This variation of spike bayonet is usually the most commonly encountered of the No 4 bayonets. Its spike consists of a sharpened rod, with the milled fluted having been omited to simplify production. This model was approved in 1941 and made by Singer and several other subcontractors in the UK and by Savage and Long Branch in North America. There are also two variants of the Mk II bayonet one has a smooth shank and the other is stepped.

I have the stepped which is black (picture is grey) and cosmo still inside.

bowkillpa, you a very nice example of the No.4, MkII* bayonet. This was made by contractors only. Singer (after making the fluted MkI), Savage and Longbranch all made the No.4 MkII that had the blade forged as a solid piece with the socket, the difference is very obvious when you see it.

[bowkillpa]

bowkillpa, you a very nice example of the No.4, MkII* bayonet. This was made by contractors only. Singer (after making the fluted MkI), Savage and Longbranch all made the No.4 MkII that had the blade forged as a solid piece with the socket, the difference is very obvious when you see it.

Thanks,

I now have it on my No4 MK1:

[Peter Laidler]

The No4 Mk3 was in fact a general issue bayonet and there were still thousands upon thousands in service in the 60's when the No4's were withdrawn from front line service. I still saw plenty of them in Cadet Force stores and Armouries in the mid to late 80's when their No4's were being withdrawn although by this time many/most were relegated to DP standard. But none the less, still in service. I oversaw the withdrawal of them and kept a few for myself which I kept.

[Continuo]

Hello
I am a picture researcher currently working on WWI publication. The editor has asked me to find a photograph of a Lee Enfield 17 inch bayonet. Do you have hi-res photograph of one that they could use please? They pay about £20 per used image.
Many thanks,
Nic