*British, WW2, Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk II Spike Bayonet, by Lewisham Engineering Co. (L. ENG / S376), with No. 4 Mk I Scabbard by Vanden Plas (S.286) and Original No. 4 Securing Tab*
Second World War British Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk II* spike bayonet, manufactured by Lewisham Engineering Co., England, the smallest wartime producer of this pattern. The bayonet retains its correct two-piece construction with separate blade and socket, characteristic of the Mk II* pattern, and is crisply marked to the socket with “L. ENG” over dispersal code “S376” within a rectangle, together with “No. 4 Mk II”* designation and a broad arrow government ownership mark to the shoulder.
The bayonet is accompanied by its correct No. 4 Mk I steel scabbard, the most common and widely issued scabbard type of the Second World War, featuring a tapered steel body with ball finial and brazed round frog stud. The scabbard throat is clearly stamped “No. 4 Mk I”, dispersal code “S.286”, and War Arrow, identifying manufacture by Vanden Plas (Eng) 1923 Ltd. of London.
Also included is a genuine No. 4 Securing Tab, officially adopted in July 1940 as Tab, Securing, Bayonet No. 4 Mk I, designed to retain the No. 4 scabbard when carried in web frogs originally intended for the Pattern 1907 bayonet. This is an increasingly scarce and desirable original accessory, often missing from surviving sets.
Approx. Measurements - Blade length: 19.9 cm. Overall length: 25.0 cm
Historical Note:
Lewisham Engineering Co., located at 9 & 11 Malyons Road, Ladywell, London, was established specifically for wartime bayonet production and is recorded as the smallest manufacturer of the No. 4 Mk II* bayonet. Approximately 84,566 examples are believed to have been produced between 1943 and 1945.
The factory was constructed during 1942 on the bomb-damaged site of the South East London Indoor Sports Club, destroyed during the Blitz of 1940–41. Built under wartime urgency, the works operated around the clock and was equipped with capstan lathes, milling and drilling machines, heat-treatment facilities, and centreless grinding equipment. After the war, the company diversified into engineering work, including the manufacture of cylinder heads for Davey-Paxman landing craft engines, before the site was ultimately cleared for redevelopment in the mid-1980s.
The No. 4 spike bayonet itself was the culmination of nearly twenty years of British Army trials seeking a lighter and simpler alternative to the Pattern 1907 sword bayonet. Approved in November 1939 alongside the Lee-Enfield No. 4 rifle, it was intentionally austere—short, light, robust, and inexpensive. Its simplicity allowed production to be dispersed among firms with little or no prior arms-making experience, an important wartime consideration.
The Mk II* variant represented a further simplification, employing a two-piece blade and socket construction that reduced costs and allowed subcontracted manufacture, while also mitigating disruption from enemy bombing. Four British firms produced the Mk II*: Prince-Smith & Stells, Howard & Bullough, Lewisham Engineering, and Baird Manufacturing Co. Of approximately 1.4 million Mk II* bayonets produced, over one million were made by Prince-Smith, making Lewisham-marked examples notably scarcer by comparison.
The accompanying No. 4 Mk I scabbard was produced in vast numbers, with Vanden Plas alone manufacturing approximately 950,000 examples. The inclusion of the original securing tab is particularly noteworthy, as these remained in British Army stores until the mid-1970s but are rarely found still paired with bayonets today.
*Condition*
The bayonet is in good, honest service condition, retaining its original form and correct wartime markings. The blade shows typical service wear and light surface oxidation consistent with age, with a well-defined point. The socket is structurally sound, with clear markings and no cracks or repairs. The scabbard retains its original painted finish with expected wear, scuffs, and areas of oxidation from service use. The throat markings remain legible. The securing tab is complete, original, and shows age-appropriate wear and patination to the leather and metal fittings. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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