Newfoundland Reg (WW1) .303

.45colt

.45colt

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Does anyone know what model of Lee Enfield were used by the Newfoundland Regiment in WW1 and where they were manufactured?

No. 1 Mk. III?
 
OneBarfly said:
Didn't the 1st Newfoundland Regiment fight alongside the British Army? Newfoundland was not yet a member of confederation.

Here's a picture dated 1914 - htt_p://www.heritage.nf.ca/greatwar/articles/enlarge/issuingrifles.html

Looks like they were issued the SMLE No.1 Mk.3
Click to expand...

i am aware that NFLD was not part of canada at the time, but IIRC they were initially carrying the ross (at least as far as england). but i am no expert, and i am sure that someone who knows for sure will let us know.
 
teh Newfoundlanders were not Canadian troops as Newfoundland was still part of the empire. Just another Colonial Regiment inthe British Army

I don't think that they would be armed any differently then other colonial regiments and would have had enfields, perhaps older enfields but enfields none the less.
 
The Newfoundland Regiment were issued SMLEs. I've seen the regimental marked brass buttstock discs.

Haven't seen any reference to Ross rifles in Newfoundland service. I doubt they would have been used, I thought they were only used by the Canadians? (Of course, I stand to be corrected!)
 
D'oh! I'm wrong, sorta. The Ross' missed them by a day.


The troops trained in an around St.John’s. Rifle practice was conducted using the Small Magazine Lee Enfield. There were several indoor ranges available at the Brigade armories and outdoor ranges available at the South Side Range. Generally the men trained in white shirts, khaki drill breeches and blue puttees. An order for 500 Canadian Ross Rifles arrived the day after the contingent had departed and had to be forwarded to Liverpool by a freighter.
Click to expand...
http://www.cdli.ca/Tattoo/new_page_11.htm
 
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To the best of my knowledge, the R NFLD R was only issued Lee Enfields.

Having said that, there are a lot of Ross rifles still kicking around here, so it's possible they were issued to the Regiment, but most likely to Home Guard units.
 
If I can start guessing, from reading this thread, and seeing other pics with Long Lees in St. John's prior to deployment, my guess is:

-Trained with Long Lees in St. John's prior to deployment. Had Ross on order.
-Ross arrives shortly after Regiment reaches Britain. (Oct, 1914)
-Regiment converts to SMLE sometime prior to deployment to Gallipoli (Sept, 1915)

I've only seen SMLEs in the Gallipoli pics.
 
dangertree said:
If I can start guessing, from reading this thread, and seeing other pics with Long Lees in St. John's prior to deployment, my guess is:

-Trained with Long Lees in St. John's prior to deployment. Had Ross on order.
-Ross arrives shortly after Regiment reaches Britain. (Oct, 1914)
-Regiment converts to SMLE sometime prior to deployment to Gallipoli (Sept, 1915)

I've only seen SMLEs in the Gallipoli pics.
Click to expand...

I am inclined to agree with this

lots of colonial troops were issued older weapons, they were colonials after all.

Canada was producing the Ross because the British refused to fill orders for enfields and would not set up a plant in Canada to produce enfields. The did set up a plant in India and had supervisors but still gave these colonial rifles seperate designations, and I.P. (India Pattern) was stamped along with the Mk I*** stamp.

So that stare of affairs was what lead to Canadians being issued Ross rifles, other that that the CEF would of been using long lees, (or US made rifles :eek: )
 
Not only Canadians. I once met a man who lived on the Isle of Wight and he said they didn't even know the war had started for a month or so! He joined in 1915 and was issued a Long Lee.
 
It almost appears if the cocking piece is lacking on these rifles with just the stub where the safety engages showing plus the one on top left has no bolt or mag.
Most likely DP arms.
 
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