1898 Enfield
- Thread starter Billy The Kid
- Start date
The only background that I can give you is that it was bought here in NB.
The name reads:
MAJOR GEO.KEEFFE (note the extra "F")
Good one
An all matching Carbine is a treasure. You really got a good one there.
I see that a lot of people have come up with a war record for the name Geo. Keefe. It is interesting that the Internet can provide a lot of answers.
However, there is one thing that I would like to point out here. The disk is marked "Major Geo. Keeffe". You would think that if a man wanted to identify his own personal rifle, then he would have the right last name put on it.
The I.D. disk has two "E" and two "F" in Keeffe. The signature of the George Keefe signing the attestation papers has only one "F".
Keeffe versus Keefe. I know that I am going to start a good contraversy here, but is this Carbine genuine, or do we have a Rat in the woodpile, where someone has stamped a name on a firearm to gain a bit more money for it?
On the Attestation paper, the person who first recorded the name seems to have written it as Keffe and later corrected it by writing over it. The only person who would have brought this error to his attention at the time would have been Mr. Keefe himself, who would have noticed it when he signed the document. He signed the document as "Keefe".
Like SMELLIE said when we were doing some research on a Ross rifle project, "Just when you think you got it nailed, then that fickle ##### of Fate throws a curve at you."
Oh, well. Now I'll take a bottle of wine, a good book, the two Labrador Retrievers, and I shall retire to the Storm Cellar to wait out the comments on the Keeffe versus Keefe posts..
.
An all matching Carbine is a treasure. You really got a good one there.
I see that a lot of people have come up with a war record for the name Geo. Keefe. It is interesting that the Internet can provide a lot of answers.
However, there is one thing that I would like to point out here. The disk is marked "Major Geo. Keeffe". You would think that if a man wanted to identify his own personal rifle, then he would have the right last name put on it.
The I.D. disk has two "E" and two "F" in Keeffe. The signature of the George Keefe signing the attestation papers has only one "F".
Keeffe versus Keefe. I know that I am going to start a good contraversy here, but is this Carbine genuine, or do we have a Rat in the woodpile, where someone has stamped a name on a firearm to gain a bit more money for it?
On the Attestation paper, the person who first recorded the name seems to have written it as Keffe and later corrected it by writing over it. The only person who would have brought this error to his attention at the time would have been Mr. Keefe himself, who would have noticed it when he signed the document. He signed the document as "Keefe".
Like SMELLIE said when we were doing some research on a Ross rifle project, "Just when you think you got it nailed, then that fickle ##### of Fate throws a curve at you."
Oh, well. Now I'll take a bottle of wine, a good book, the two Labrador Retrievers, and I shall retire to the Storm Cellar to wait out the comments on the Keeffe versus Keefe posts..
.
Now that's a treasure!!! Good for you!
I need to get busy on a LEC refurb for a CGN member this fall, he's been waiting for a while. I may PM you for a few close up pictures...
Lou
Feel free Lou but I am a lousy photographer!
An early enlistment and a St John NB Man, almost 26 years of age in 1915...previous rank of Capt 5 years service in the 62nd which I believe is the St John Fusiliers and listed as a Major...I,ll search the Militia lists of 1916 and 1917 for him and get you some units.....cheers,Mike.
Feel free Lou but I am a lousy photographer!
Billy- Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but M&D (Militia and Defence) is the earlier version of Canadian ownership marking, before the C Broad Arrow. We had DC, then M&D, then C Broad Arrow.
I've seen Ross Rifles with M&D on them too.
Very nice rifle you have there!
Lt. George Keeffe is listed in the 1913 Militia list as a member of the 62nd St. John Fusiliers and has a date of Commission of April 22 1911. He was taken on strength to the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion CEF on Feb 18th 1915 with the rank of Captain.This Battalion sailed for England on June 13th 1915 with 42 officers and 1108 other ranks under command of Lt Col J. L McAvity (no jokes please).
This Battalion was a Combat battalion and served in France and Belgium with 5 brigade,2nd Infantry Division. I believe the war diaries of this unit are available free online so there can be further research done on Major Keeffe without much problem....I,ll have a quick look for you and provide links....cheers,Mike.
This Battalion was a Combat battalion and served in France and Belgium with 5 brigade,2nd Infantry Division. I believe the war diaries of this unit are available free online so there can be further research done on Major Keeffe without much problem....I,ll have a quick look for you and provide links....cheers,Mike.
Link
Link to the War Diaries of the 26th Battalion CEF. Caution...There will be a lot of reading here but I,m sure you will find some reference to your man. the entries may be somewhat vague or incredbly detailed so its quite an adventure researching soldiers this way.One of the ways I do it is to find out dates of the Brigade ar Divisional actions and search those dates.
I recently researched a Captured German MG 08/15 Machine Gun that is in my collecton using the captured Trophy list and war diaries and actually found an incredibly detailed account of the trench raid where my gun was captured and included the killing of the crew as well as two Cdn soldiers of the 5th CMR winning MM's in the action.....A great deal of valuable info is contained in these War Diaries.
http://data4.collectionscanada.gc.c...ada.gc.ca/archivianet/02015202_e.html&r=0&f=S
Link to the War Diaries of the 26th Battalion CEF. Caution...There will be a lot of reading here but I,m sure you will find some reference to your man. the entries may be somewhat vague or incredbly detailed so its quite an adventure researching soldiers this way.One of the ways I do it is to find out dates of the Brigade ar Divisional actions and search those dates.
I recently researched a Captured German MG 08/15 Machine Gun that is in my collecton using the captured Trophy list and war diaries and actually found an incredibly detailed account of the trench raid where my gun was captured and included the killing of the crew as well as two Cdn soldiers of the 5th CMR winning MM's in the action.....A great deal of valuable info is contained in these War Diaries.
http://data4.collectionscanada.gc.c...ada.gc.ca/archivianet/02015202_e.html&r=0&f=S
First mention of KEEFFE
...Here in the 26th War Diary an execllent example of what you'll find....an establishment list of Officers showing Keeffe as a Captain with the 26th.....he'll be all over this diary unless he is wounded or transfered but it will be fun to follow his carreer...
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e039/e000968973.jpg
...Here in the 26th War Diary an execllent example of what you'll find....an establishment list of Officers showing Keeffe as a Captain with the 26th.....he'll be all over this diary unless he is wounded or transfered but it will be fun to follow his carreer...
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e039/e000968973.jpg
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Good Work
FINE WORK, LASTMAG
What a great piece of research. I missed your question about the name discrepency last night, but I had noticed the difference myself. I was composing a post, moving back and forth between it and the Attestations, and talking with SMELLIE on the phone about it at the time, then posted the question last night.
I do believe you have nailed this one. It is interesting that a small thing like a slightly different spelling of a Name can have such significant meanings when you research a subject.
It looks like you have verified the authenticity of this fine Lee Enfield Carbine, and really added to the value of it. It can be traced to one specific person.
I guess I can come out of the storm cellar and turn the Labs loose. I finished off the wine, and got halfway through the book, though. Looks like there is not going to be any controversy over this one.
Again, LASTMAG, great work and research.
FINE WORK, LASTMAG
What a great piece of research. I missed your question about the name discrepency last night, but I had noticed the difference myself. I was composing a post, moving back and forth between it and the Attestations, and talking with SMELLIE on the phone about it at the time, then posted the question last night.
I do believe you have nailed this one. It is interesting that a small thing like a slightly different spelling of a Name can have such significant meanings when you research a subject.
It looks like you have verified the authenticity of this fine Lee Enfield Carbine, and really added to the value of it. It can be traced to one specific person.
I guess I can come out of the storm cellar and turn the Labs loose. I finished off the wine, and got halfway through the book, though. Looks like there is not going to be any controversy over this one.
Again, LASTMAG, great work and research.
Thanks Gibbs. There is a ton of history in the above posts.
Indeed, some how I missed all of Lastmags posts.
great work!
