Ross Rifles used in WW1 by the NEWFOUNDLAND REGIMENT?

Sly Old Fox

Sly Old Fox

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In the last issue of the RCL magazine March/April, there is an article on these troops starting on page 23. On page 22 facing, the picture to me shows the closest soldier with what has to be a Ross as evidenced by the great rear sight, the magazine profile and the rifles length.

On page 25 is a picture of the Regiment doing bayonet practice and those are suspiciously long rifles for Lee Enfields, any WW1 ones I have seen have the bayonet boss and are not like our Canadian rifles of WW2.


My question is why would British Army have a Ross? :confused:
 
The British bought a large number of Ross 1910B rifles. Without seeing the photos I would guess the Newfoundlanders on the photo were using the earlier Long Lee Enfield rather than Rosses for training at home, being issued N0.1 MKIII in England.
 
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The NFLD Regt bought 500 Ross rifles and took them to Britain IIRC. They were replaced by SMLEs in Britain.
 
The various rifles used by Newfoundland would be interesting to trace as it was a British colony until 1949 when it joined Canada.
 
sail32 said:
The various rifles used by Newfoundland would be interesting to trace as it was a British colony until 1949 when it joined Canada.
Click to expand...

That's not quite right.

It was a colony from 1825 to 1855, at which point it became self determined (an independent country) until 1948. Due to various factors, including the Great Depression, it was run by a Commission of Government from 1938 until 1948. On APRIL 1, 1949 (not March 31 as is often reported) it became a province of Canada.
 
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If I recall the story correctly, the Royal Nfld Regiment was supposed to have been equipped with the Ross rifles, which had been paid for through donations.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) the Ross rifles didn't arrive in time for the departure of the First 500; so they were equipped with Lee Enfield rifles after they arrived in Britian.

I believe that the Ross's, when they did arrive, were turned over to the British Home Guard, and the Regiment continued on with the Lee Enfields.

The Lee Enfields that the Regiment used were clearly marked, and had "NFLD" on the brass disc in the stock.

I've only ever seen one of these that wasn't in a museum.
 
when you look at the pictures and video on line ,there is nothing , actually showing a recognizable Newfoundland soldier with a ross rifle.
 
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