"NIAGARA FALLS" Ross Rifle R Sporter 1910 **Niagara Falls** help

cantom said:
No. They are specific production, made specifically for the Home Guard. They even have special HG serial numbers and HG stampings on the stock. They are not UK contract Rosses. They do not have military viewer proof marks.
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You got me...

I now know of the 'Veterans Home Guard' in Canada during the Second World War, but anything before that is a bit of mystery. It's hard finding sources on stuff few people care about! I'd really like to know though.

plinker 777 said:
Tyler; you're certainly more knowledgeable than myself on the subject and the time period. I didn't know that the CEF wasn't Canadian "Army". I assumed the Canadian Military {read army} was formed during the Boar War {1898/99?}. I am aware that recruitment saw men being incorporated into Militia Regiments, but when in time of war I thought these Militia Regiments were formed into battle groups {CEF} and operated autonomously of British command?
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The Permanent and Non-Permanent active militia's were created after confederation, one after the other, and slowly added to over the years before the Great War. The basic premise that the full time soldiers existed in small part to help train the part-time soldiers in times of war. As is Canadian tradition we did things on the cheap and slowly added things; veterinary corps, dental corps, corps of engineers and so on... over a series of reforms and much government hand-wringing.

The creation of the CEF wasn't planned. A series of plans had been drawn up in 1911, but the CEF was instead created by Order in Council in 1914 and the old mobilization plans for the militia tossed aside. There were 258 Numbered Infantry Battalions that fed the CEF infantry (and the Canadian Corps of 4 divisions), a majority from local militia units, but others from University volunteers to Americans coming over the border to enlist. It really was a hodge-podge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_infantry_battalions_in_the_Canadian_Expeditionary_Force

Have a look; you'll see that a good deal of those battalions were populated by local militia regiments.

As for autonomously? No. The first two commanders of the CEF before Currie were Alderson and Byng, both British Generals. Canada truly lacked the experience and proper size to train a general staff, so it was the first brigade and divisional commanders who rose up through attrition and experience to take over the job later in the war. Even when Currie took over, he still fell under the command of the 4th British Army under Rawlinson, who in turn was under BEF commander, General Haig. The Canadians were swapped around the BEF, so it's hard to keep track without pulling out the books!

As for why I think it's a cop/parks rifle? Because any military rifle of the period would likely have a unit or battalion number stamped on the stock, not the name of the town where they were. Just a guess on my part.
 
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jtaylor said:
Your NF stamping is identical to the one that appears on the service rifle. Maybe your ad here will generate some research interest as I would like to see more. If you can get to Burlington I can show you a service rifle. JOHN
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Any chance we can see some pictures of the Niagara Falls marked service rifle?

I`m assuming it is a MK III Ross.
 
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As for why I think it's a cop/parks rifle? Because any military rifle of the period would likely have a unit or battalion number stamped on the stock, not the name of the town where they were. Just a guess on my part.[/QUOTE]


Tyler

Your input is appreciated and interesting

take care

jpc
 
I thought I remembered an HG mark on my 280 Model 10, so I pulled it out of the safe and sure enough it is marked HG on the butt. No other markings are present, so who got such a nice sporting rifle for guard duty?

thanks Dave
 
Sorry jpc, but family duties have kept me busy.
I know some of the folks at the old Niagara Falls Armoury, now known as the Niagara Military Museum.
I'm sure one of them could find some information.
I'll keep you all posted.
 
I've just started reading The Ross Rifle story in its entirety. On page 41 in the top paragraph of the far right column it states that some Home Guard rifles have turned up stamped NIAGARA FALLS. It states that the rifles stamped this way were MkIIIs but so far I haven't read mention of these commercial sporters stamped this way. If it is in there somewhere I will post its location in coming weeks.
 
"Home Guard rifles have turned up stamped NIAGARA FALLS. It states that the rifles stamped this way were MkIIIs but so far I haven't read mention of these commercial sporters stamped this way. If it is in there somewhere I will post its location in coming weeks."


Keep Reading Please :):):)

Appreciate the research

take care

jpc
 
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Pair of M-10s, one early, one late, and my little man approving...

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There are a number of small differences in the rifles even though they are the identical model.
 
It had been long enough since I read this thread I had forgotten you said you had a HG M-10. I was very pleasantly surprised to see the mark to say the least. It's going to stay in its current form and rest in my rack for its time with me. There are too many consistencies with these HG or Niagra or whatever marked rifles to say they weren't part of an organization. This one reinforces it in my mind.
 
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