Canadian No4 Mk II Bayonet

The Canadian No. 4 Mk II bayonet is an iconic bladed weapon from World War II, recognizable by its simple spike shape. This specific model was produced on a large scale in Canada for use with Lee-Enfield No. 4 rifles.

Production Details

• Maker: Produced by Small Arms Ltd. (SAL), a Canadian state institution (Crown Corporation) based in Long Branch, Ontario.
• Production Period: The bayonets were manufactured between 1942 and 1944. In total, Long Branch produced approximately 910,000 of these No. 4 Mk II bayonets during the war years.
• Features: The Mk II is a simplified version of the earlier Mk I, in which the cross-shaped fluting in the blade was omitted to speed up production. Canadian examples are recognizable by the stylized B (Long Branch) marking.

The Mk III Plastic Scabbard

The bayonet is equipped with a plastic Mk III scabbard, which was an innovative and cost-saving solution at the time.

• Material: Unlike the earlier steel Mk I and Mk II scabbards, the Mk III is made of a durable plastic (often described as Bakelite or an early form of thermoplastic).
• Origin: Although Ian Skennerton suggests in his reference works that these plastic scabbards were primarily produced in North America (USA or Canada), the exact manufacturer sometimes remains unconfirmed in official British archives.
• Rarity: This scabbard is often considered "scarce" or "rare" by collectors compared to the standard steel variants.