Canadian Issue Lee Enfield WWI era
- Thread starter D_w_A
- Start date
They would have been SMLE Mk. III and III* rifles.
There are SMLEs with standard C/l\ markings.
I am unaware of when these marks were applied. Perhaps someone is aware of any directives, etc. relating to the application of property marks. The rifles were used throughout the interwar years, and for the first few years of WWII.
There are SMLEs with standard C/l\ markings.
I am unaware of when these marks were applied. Perhaps someone is aware of any directives, etc. relating to the application of property marks. The rifles were used throughout the interwar years, and for the first few years of WWII.
Just an off-chance, but you MAY find one with a Canadian formation number or designation on the butt marking disc. Likely, this would be a rifle that was "liberated" by a returning veteran, as, generally, they had blank butt marking discs installed while undergoing rebuild.
Personally, I have only ever seen 2 rifles marked like this, both Newfoundland Regiment, and one is in a museum in St. John's. The other was owned by my old shooting partner, who liberated it in 1919....... bottle of whisky to the armourer helped a great deal. This was after the march into Cologne.
Personally, I have only ever seen 2 rifles marked like this, both Newfoundland Regiment, and one is in a museum in St. John's. The other was owned by my old shooting partner, who liberated it in 1919....... bottle of whisky to the armourer helped a great deal. This was after the march into Cologne.
Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
well if it was Newfoundland Regiment they weren't "liberated" by Canadians then were they?
given that WWI was 30 years before NFLD joined Canada....
given that WWI was 30 years before NFLD joined Canada....
You're both right, of course.
Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion within the Empire as it existed at that time, which we now would call the Commonwealth.
But formations marks WERE put on butt discs; that's what they were there for. I have several Canadian-marked SMLEs, and they were NOT given formation marks in the same manner as a Ross (i.e., circular battalion stamp impressed into the underside of the stock at the wrist and into the right side of the butt).
Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion within the Empire as it existed at that time, which we now would call the Commonwealth.
But formations marks WERE put on butt discs; that's what they were there for. I have several Canadian-marked SMLEs, and they were NOT given formation marks in the same manner as a Ross (i.e., circular battalion stamp impressed into the underside of the stock at the wrist and into the right side of the butt).
