Anyone got any knowledge on this type of bayonet?

[Chuckhall905]

Hey new here, wondering if anyone can tell me more about this bayonet. All I know is it’s for a Ross rifle 
 

Stamped on the handle is 4/16 and has 50 BN CEF 581 on the scabbard 

would love to know if it was used in the war or any other info about it 

cheers 

[Mattr82]

Ross Mk.II bayonet.

whether it went overseas, good chance it did as it’s CEF marked. Others on here are far more knowledgeable with regards to Canadian service so I shall let them take the stage on this.

More info about the 50th Battalion. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/50th_Battalion_(Calgary),_CEF

[Waggoner]

The profile of the blade had been modified to a sharpened point. This suggests that it was intended for active service.

All the best,

Gary

[Chasemuseum]

There are two models of Ross bayonet, the m1905 Mk I and the m1910 Mk II. This is the Mk II because of the shape of the cross guard. Bayonets sent to the UK were sharpened for active service giving the blade a spear point profile. This is the sharpened model (both Mk Is and IIs were sharpened, although unsharpened examples are probably more common).

 

The scabbard is a Mk I scabbard, modified to match a Mk II scabbard. The Mk I scabbards which were manufactured up to the start of the war, were made to fit the standard Canadian Oliver 1899 pattern waist belt, about 1 3/4 inches. The mark II scabbards with integral frog are basically identical but sewn with a belt loop for a 3-inch web belt so they can be used with P08. This frog, you can see the original stitching as a mark I and the new stitching to give it the Mk II format. 

So all up it is a typical CEF example modified in England during the war for use in combat. In practice only a relatively small number of Canadian troops took the Ross to France - the 1st Division (late 1914 and early 1915 (Division went over in two phases)). Need to check references but I think 2nd Div and latter were issued SMLE immediately prior to shipping to France.  The Canadian Government were very hostile about this practice.