104-C-152 French Model 1886 Epee Bayonet

The M1886 bayonet was the French mainstay during WWI and many were still in service at the Fall of France in 1940. The Lebel also saw extensive use worldwide by native troops in the French colonies.The M1886 introduced the distinctive cruciform blade, which remained a feature of most French bayonets until 1956. A simplified version, Épée-Baïonnette Modèle 1886 Modifié 1915 (M1886 Sword Bayonet, as modified in 1915), was made during the First World War.