Canadian Model 1917 Enfields

damuralt

damuralt

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Kingston, Ontario
Gents,

I have a Model 1917 Enfield in 30-06 that I am refurbishing that is marked with the "C broad arrow" on the receiver, denoting Canadian military property.

I know that they were not issued as a front-line weapon to the Canadian Army and that the British Home Guard were issued some during the Second World War. Can anyone shed any light on where within the Canadian military 1917s were used?

Thanks and cheers!

Dave
 
80,000 were purchased early in the war by the Canadian gov't and issued to the Air Force, Pacific coast militia rangers, factory guards that protected defence manufacturing plants, etc. Very few have the Canadian broad arrow mark, that adds to the value of the rifle.
 
Mine has the broadarrow mark.
I know it was RCAF but I have to look if it was marked specifically RCAF somewhere.
 
I have spoken with a German vet who was captured in 1942 and shipped to Canada. Spent the remainder of the war in a POW camp somewhere in Ontario (can't remember where exactly). Said that by later in the war, the camp guards would give a prisoner a Model 1917 and one or two rounds of ammo to go hunting and get the prisoners and camp guards some food.

Course, what with age and memory, it could have been a different rifle, but he did call it an "American Enfield" in .30-06, so that narrows it down. Unsure if POW camp guards would have had any special markings to denote that, like the RCAF ones. Doubt it, but could be wrong.
 
Many M1917s were issued to the Veterans Guard of Canada during WWII before No.4s were readily available. This unit was largely composed of World War I veterans deemed too old for service overseas. Instead, they were put to use guarding prisoner of war camps and military installations across the country. They also employed Ross Rifles and No. 1 Mk. 3s.
 
I have pictures here of my grandfather with a M1917,..Sgt Major training recruits during WW2..He was wounded twice during the Great War,..the Somme and Vimy Ridge.Volunteered to serve for the 2nd but was held back,and spent the war training new recruits...I wish he was around to tell me about it...
 
Garand said:
80,000 were purchased early in the war by the Canadian gov't and issued to the Air Force, Pacific coast militia rangers, factory guards that protected defence manufacturing plants, etc. Very few have the Canadian broad arrow mark, that adds to the value of the rifle.
Click to expand...

Were these rifles possibly Lend-Lease from the States at this time?
 
Canadians paid cash, not lend lease. They were issued to RCAF, RCN and militia units in Canada after the SMLEs were withdrawn for use overseas.
Calibre was listed as 30-06 and Cdn made ammo was so marked on the box.
 
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