Belgian No4

[Kilian]

Thought I'd show you one of the rarer No4 bayonets. It is made in Belgium, Post WW2. If have estimated that about 7,500 have been made. I have no clue as to why they were made, as after WW2 there was an abundant surplus stock of No4 bayonets.

It carries an FN inspectors mark, but I don't know if that inspector exclusively worked for FN, or maybe also for other manufacturers in the Liege area, such as Pieper.

It is possible they were made for the Belgian Gendarmerie or for use in the Korean war, maybe as a way of subsidizing Belgian industry after the war. Post WW2 there were large stocks of No4 bayonets, made during the war by British, Canadian and US manufacturers, so I cannot understand what the reason for making these was. Though it is marked No4 Mk2, it is actually a No4 Mk2*, which can be manufactured by using rather basic metalworking equipment.

To me the existence of this Belgian No4 is as big a mystery as the existence of the handfull of Canadian Arsenals made bayonets in the early 1950's.

[AndyB]

Crown J of ball of scabbard would speak for army acceptance as for Police units. The Bg is more direction for outside production for Belgium, own products would be not marked Bg? Any marking on locking button?

[Kilian]

Oh dear Andy, I need to dig into my memory and some old files, but I’ll get back to you. Did quite a bit of research into this subject, many, many, moons ago.

[AndyB]

On Cobb site is mentioned 2 instead of II in designation No4Mk2 on all post 1945 bayonets, its possible postwar production went to Belgium and was properly so marked.

[Kilian]

Hi Andy,

My “knowledge” is based on:

The Spirit of the Pike, by Graham Priest. He managed to write a 3cm thick book on spike bayonets, in A4 format. The Bg variant is only briefly discussed, because of limited information available.

I was a member of a Dutch language forum on bayonets with a number of active Belgian members. We did an extensive topic on this model and many members helped collecting data on serial numbers. The numbers collected came from our own collections as well as internet sources. The lowest number we observed was 144 and the highest was 6992. Hence my conclusion that the number produced was 7,500 tops, but it could be 7,000 or a number in between.

The inspectors mark of a crown over an intertwined J and F can also be observed on SAFN49 bayonets of the same period.

The maker is not known. The inspector mark can be linked to FN, but it is not proof that these were made by FN. Around that time the Anciens Etablissements Pieper was still active, although probably on its last legs. Pieper was an arms manufacturer. Pieper and FN were both located in Herstal, Liege. I can imagine these were made by Pieper as a last ditch attempt, but I do not know. These bayonets are made to a higher standard than British made No4s during WW2.

By observing many examples one can notice that these must have been made, stamped with the No4, Bg and inspectors mark and then finished with some paint like material. The serial numbers were stamped by stamping individual numbers after the finishing. You can always observe some chipping of the paint around these numbers.

During our research I found a picture on the internet of Belgian Gendarmerie on a sort of parade, carrying Lee Enfield rifles with spike bayonets attached. This picture dated to the early 1970’s.

Unfortunately that forum, like many others, died a slow death, and my research came to an end. Many questions unanswered.

[AndyB]

Certainly it would be nice to contact Graham Priest, but i assume in days of BCN there was a link to forum focused on these bayonets, anyway in the link that i had 15 years ago, there was not mentioned much about Belgium marked No4Mk2 bayonets.
as from same area, You should be the best link for knowledge about these bayonets.
I would dissasemble the piece, and look for mashining details with comparing of similar marked pieces. Evidently there exist some of these marked with arabic digits instead of roman. Each marking on locking lug, blade socket area, would be interesting.
Britain - No. 4 Spike Bayonet With Post-War Arabic Numeral Marking
On Cobbs page looks like on 5171 pcs is something on right socket??