Could Canadian servicemen keep their rifles?

I've heard many stories of 'goodies' being taken down and taped to a leg of stshed in a duffle bag. Kinda wondered about how much of it ws true. I've also heard the 'buy your rifle for $12' story as well
 
Only Cdn soldiers who were given their rifles were Boer War vets who were given their entire kit including rifle.
 
During WWll , my Dad put a pistol ( Styer ? ) inside a vase and mailed it to my Uncle back in Canada...lol
My cousin has it now ...all registered and legal of course.
 
I was in Korea ,1951-1952, Lithgows were not an issue to Canadian troops, not even as a replacement. Except for the odd small reinforcment draft ,all Canadians got their rifles before leaving Canada.Jungle Carbines were never an issue Canadian troops. And no ONE was allowed to keep his weapon on discharge. I was in RCEME and we had an armourers sectionwhich I was in charge of, now called weapons techs.If a strange ,new, different ,weapon of any kind came in I got too see it and shoot it.Including some interesting captures.I think these bringbacks belong in the old wives section. Duker
 
Just because it was against the rules does not mean no one did it. I belive the yanks had forms for vet bringbacks? It would have been incredibly difficult to even get that many people back home much less keep track of all the gear.
 
If no one had bring backs that how come 12(7) grandfathering exsists for pre 1945 handguns to be handed down to relitives... War Relics..... By everyones logic these should not exsist.
 
All I know is that the korean war lasted 3 years and when a dead veteran says he was issued a #1mk3 lithgow I believed him .Why would he lie .Canada had alot of these rifles kicking around after WW2 .I could see it if he was issued a 303 ross or somethink like that,then I would know he was lying .
 
I dont believe Lithgows,made in Austrailia were ever issued in Canada. Why would they when Canada made #4s for export to other commonwealth countrys. The Ausys staioned near us were always trying to scrounge #4s.I was in the army till 1956 and never seen a Lithgow or JC. in Canada. I have no idea where your gdad got one , it wasn't a Canadian issue. Duker
 
There were JC in Can military although obviously not standard issue. In P.73 of the book In Search of Pegasus, a Can airborne trooper was seen holding a JC at Stevenson Field, Ipperwash, Ont.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/item/books-978155125039/155125039x/In-Search-of-Pegasus-The-Canadian-Airborne-Experience-1942-1?ref=Search+Books%3a+'in+search+of+peegasus'
 
The Gulf War.
I said it once before, enemy AK's, 12.7's and more were brought back. I saw them!
Also 1 Canadian Army shooting champion many times over was awarded his FNC1 as a gift from DND. I know I saw it and read the article on it in Sentinal.
And more....someday.
 
Boer war vets had the opportunity to buy there LE's at the end of there service.
The Australians used the Lithy's during Korea and it is possible that a trade happened..........soldiers are notorious souvenir hunters and traders.

Cheers
Brian
 
My great grandfather who servered in WW1 had his service rifle hanging on the gun rack in his house when I was a kid,how he was able to keep it I'm not sure.My other great grandfather who enlisted in 1918 near the end of the war had just finished basic + were loaded on the ships to go overseas but never went as the war was coming to a close.The army made them return all items they were issued,uniforms,rifles etc.before they were released,but his friends who went overseas could keep there uniforms + buy their rifle or a rifle.He served in WW2 at the air force training base in Jarvis as a LAC + at the end of the war he had to buy his enfield + bayonet.
 
Australians did after WW1, as did the British, and Kiwis.
My Lt Col Father in law Retired with his service Browning pistol (Can).
 
A familiy friend in the RAF flew a spit in the B o B he had 2 german side arms which he brought back he said he got them from some german downed pilots (i'm guessing from the guys who caught the pilots or removed the bodies I'll have to ask him ).I bought them from years ago but like a fool didn't keep them one was a P.38 other was a Walther .he had them papered when he returned and I have the paperwork somewhere and they are listed as war sovineers (sp)
 
My Grandad was in the RCAF during the war.. one of his best friends however
was in the RHLI and was captured at Dieppe he sat out the war in a POW camp ..My Family sent care pakages to him and to show his Gratitude he gave my Grandfather his Lee Enfield..or at least the replacement one. I own the enfield today and cherrish it for what it stands for.
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seeing the Liberals that governed for so long try to erase from our memories, of the men who gave everything for us and how they have witled our forces down today ,,sickens me
 
My Grandfather started WWII as an Infantryman in the 2 RCR. When they were over there, he saw how much nicer the RAF and RCAF guys had it and when they needed airgunners they recruited them from who ever was handy. My Granddad passed, they shipped him off to the Airbase posthaste with everything he came with (QM was busy doing over three hundred transfers in an hour and apparently just said "screw it" and signed everything over under some War Materiel act or something...) including his No1 MkIII. When he got to the Airbase they issued him some beat up Webly and a box of ammo, told him to get to know it fast 'cause he was in the air the next morning. He did his thing in Bomber Command (as a Lancaster tailgunner, no less) when he was demobbed he went to the QM with his stuff. They only wanted the Webly back because that was what the RCAF issued him. He asked about his rifle and the QM said they had no record of his ever having been issued a rifle in the Airforce. He was about to ask about his debut in the Army but he was politely told in no uncertain terms he was holding up the godd*mned line.
 
What I want is access to the books and records that matched the rifles serial numbers with the soldier it was issued to.
 
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