No 5 Jungle carbine in Cdn Service

[purple]

I was aware that Long Branch had developed prototypes of various lightweight No4 rifles as well as the No5, but always assumed that these were for experimental purposes only.

Yesterday I was thumbing through the 2001 book on Cdn Airborne Forces, titled "In Search of Pegasus" and saw a photo showing 4 soldiers wearing chutes, Brit pattern airborne helments, and jump boots armed with a PIAT, a BREN, a STEN and what is clearly a No5 JC. Unfortunately the troop with the No5 has his arm over most of it so all that can be seen is part of the forend and barrel as well as the end of the butt showing the side mounted sling.

The photo is captioned " Four paratroopers at Stevenson Field, Ipperwash, Ontario during a rehersal for an RCAF airshow, July 1946". DND photo reference is NA, PA204969. Although the troops are not showing any regimental badges I assume that they are from the RCR. I wasn't aware that there was an airfield called Stevenson Field at Ipperwash, although I recall that the airfield at CFB Winnipeg once had that name.

 

[JP]

Read somewhere that Canadian Airborne troops schedule to deploy to the Pacific Theatre after VE Day were armed with Enfield No. 5 MKI carbines. War ended before they made it to the Pacific, however.

 

[buffdog]

Canadian Service

I know of a set of Number 5 Lee Enfield furniture that was taken off a rifle, and it is clearly marked RHLI (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.)

I have been told by a very good source that the Number 5 Lee Enfield was also issued to certain Canadian Units who were deployed in Africa after WWII.
.

 

[purple]

Read somewhere that Canadian Airborne troops schedule to deploy to the Pacific Theatre after VE Day were armed with Enfield No. 5 MKI carbines. War ended before they made it to the Pacific, however.

There were no plans to send Cdn Airborne troops to the pacific after VE Day. The Brits planned to send the 6th Airborne Div, of which 1st Cdn Para Bn was a part, but Cdn authorities declined their request to do so.

Cdn Army participation in the war against Japan was based on the 6th Cdn Inf Div which was organized and equipped on American lines by reason of it's being employed under US command. There was no Cdn airborne component in this organization. This is where all the discussion of Cdn issue Garands in WW2 comes from.

 

[purple]

I know of a set of Number 5 Lee Enfield furniture that was taken off a rifle, and it is clearly marked RHLI (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.)

I have been told by a very good source that the Number 5 Lee Enfield was also issued to certain Canadian Units who were deployed in Africa after WWII.
.

AFAIK there were no Cdn units employed in Africa or the Middle east post- WW2. Some Cdn Army units transitted thru N. Africa on the way to Sicily/Italy during WW2, but that's it. Our first employment in Africa was with the UN in the Congo in the early 1960s. At this time we were equipped with the FNC1/Sterling SMG/Browning HP set of small arms.

The Brits did use No5s on internal security operations in Palestine in the 1945-48 period, but there was no Cdn involvement in this.

What would be interesting is to turn up a No5 rifle or wood with a C/broad arrow stamp.

 

[JP]

"The Brits planned to send the 6th Airborne Div, of which 1st Cdn Para Bn was a part,"

I guess that is went the Canadians got issued some No.5 MKI Carbine.

 

[purple]

"The Brits planned to send the 6th Airborne Div, of which 1st Cdn Para Bn was a part,"

I guess that is went the Canadians got issued some No.5 MKI Carbine.

I don't think this is very likely. After VE Day 1 Para Bn remained part of 6th AB Div on occupation duties until end May '45. It then returned to England until being repatriated to Canada in mid June. It was disbanded on 30 Sep 45 at Camp Niagara-on-the-Lake. back in Canada unit members were given the opportunity to volunteer for the Pacific force, but in a non-airborne capacity.

Late war photos show the unit equipped with the standard small arms-No4s, BRENs, STENs and Browning HPs.

 

[cantom]

I know of a set of Number 5 Lee Enfield furniture that was taken off a rifle, and it is clearly marked RHLI (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.)

I have been told by a very good source that the Number 5 Lee Enfield was also issued to certain Canadian Units who were deployed in Africa after WWII.
.

Say what?

 

[browningautorifle]

A friend of mine was posted to Germany in 1956 for a few years with the CDN army, PPCLI. He said while they were issued #4 rifles as a matter of fact, he was issued a #5 to shoot annual qualification. Once only and he didn't see them around as a rule. He did know what they were though. He said he didn't like it, it kicked too hard.

 

[marks 36 hamon]

when i worked close to the old Longbranch plant i met several ex employees one of which told me he had a No5 from the plant ..he worked in R+D ...i never saw it but he did bring me quite a few in the white un finished gun parts which i still have ..mostly sten and FN but one line of in the white Browning Hi-Power front sights ...Im lucky i used to talk to tons of guys who worked there ..

 

[Lee Enfield]

when i worked close to the old Longbranch plant i met several ex employees one of which told me he had a No5 from the plant ..he worked in R+D ...i never saw it but he did bring me quite a few in the white un finished gun parts which i still have ..mostly sten and FN but one line of in the white Browning Hi-Power front sights ...Im lucky i used to talk to tons of guys who worked there ..

Long Branch was tooling up to produce the No5MkI* for British orders starting @1946.
The end of the war cancelled that.
Pics of one of the guns are in Skennerton