No. 4 Mk II British Spike Bayonet

Object/Artifact

-

Southern Forest Heritage Museum

Name/Title

No. 4 Mk II British Spike Bayonet

Entry/Object ID

2022.1.224

Description

A No. 4 Mk II British Spike Bayonet. They were developed for use along with the No. 4 Lee-Enfield rifles, approved in November of 1939. As British government arms manufacturers were already pouring all of their resources into making rifles and machineguns, they gave out private contracts to companies who had no history of arms making to produce the bayonet. This was thanks to its simple and crude design. Each generation of the bayonet saw it devolve rather than progress, instead becoming cheaper and easier to mass produce. Around 5 million of these bayonets were reportedly produced. The No. 4 Mk. II spike bayonet was a simplified, more numerous variants of the British No. 4 bayonet, with over 3.3 million units produced. It was functionally identical to the Mk. I, featuring a single-piece bayonet and socket forging, but eliminated the milling cuts for the cruciform blade flutes. Production was handled primarily by Singer in Scotland, Savage Stevens Co. in the USA, and Long Branch in Canada. This particular bayonet was produced in Accrington, Lancashire in England by Howard & Bullough Co. They were one of the smaller producers of the No 4 Mk II, with approximately 161,026 reported produced from 1943-1942.

Context

The No. 4 Mk. II was a utilitarian weapon, designed for function over form. It was short, light, and sturdy, perfectly suited for the demands of trench warfare and close-quarters combat, earning it the nickname "pig-sticker" from troops.

Collection

Rhodes Brothers Collections

Acquisition

Accession

2022.1

Source or Donor

Douglas J. Rhodes

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

*title of entry*, Rhodes Brothers Collection, *Accession Number*, *Exhibit Title (if it's being displayed)*, Southern Forest Heritage Museum, Long Leaf, LA.

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Howard & Bullough Co.

Time Period

21st Century

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Engraving

Location

Muzzle Ring

Transcription

No. 4, Mk II, N 30

Material/Technique

Etched

Other Name

"Pig Sticker"

Parts

Count

2

Parts

Bayonet, Scabbard

Web Links and URLs

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