![]() ![]() The Lee Metfords and Long Lees had used a relatively short bayonet, the Pattern 1888 bayonet. That combined length had always featured in the development of British military longarms. Markings: No4 MK II N 67 (pattern number and makers code stamped on left side of socket) 85.Z. While the length of the rifle was being reduced, it was felt that maintaining ‘reach’ with a bayonet fitted was also important. The large majority of these bayonets bear no distinguishing markings that allow todays collectors to determine what company manufactured them. The result was the Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee Enfield – SMLE for short, affectionately known as the ‘smellie’. A need for reachīy the early years of the 20th century, experience had shown that the days of long rifles were effectively over and something shorter and ‘handier’ than the ‘Long Lee’ was needed. ![]() ![]() In this blog post, Peter Smithurst, Curator Emeritus at the Royal Armouries traces the development of the 1907 Pattern bayonet.Ĭhorus of ‘The Ballad of the Bayonet’ from “A Yeoman’s Letters,” PT Ross, 1901. The evolution of the 1907 Pattern bayonet was not a single-step event and some wonderful rarities appeared in the process.
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