Ross with Winchester A5 snipers?

[iain.quayle]

Hello, got curious last night about Ross rifles in the great war wearing Winchester A5 scopes, and start trying to look around for information on them and photos. Problem was, there seemed to be nothing anywhere about them. The most I could find was that there was 907 of them, a different forum had thread that said they weren't procured by the military itself, and I found 1 picture. (No clue how much of what I did find is actually true)
The snipers with WS1913s are quite well documented, there are a fair few rebuilt ones scattered here and there, and there are relatively speaking lots of photos of them, and even a video I saw, despite there supposedly being half the number in comparison.
So I was wondering if someone here may know some more information about these or photos of them and if they would be willing to share some?
Cheers

 

[jtaylor]

Hello iain. There were 907 Winchester A5 telescopes set up on SMLE rifles for British service. I don't think anyone knows where Canada sourced A5 scopes but there were several mounted on cut back Mark III Ross service rifles by Canadian armourer workshops prior to the W&S scoped rifles arriving on the scenes in the fall of 1915. Upon return it appears all these rifles/scopes were scrapped other than a Battalion or
Divisional War Trophy. There was one out west that was a trophy used by Louis Riel's nephew (who was killed) but it was destroyed in a fire.
lots of true photos on the net of these rifles - usually group shots demonstrating sniper schools or company/battalion active observer/sniper teams. John

 

[iain.quayle]

Hello iain. There were 907 Winchester A5 telescopes set up on SMLE rifles for British service. I don't think anyone knows where Canada sourced A5 scopes but there were several mounted on cut back Mark III Ross service rifles by Canadian armourer workshops prior to the W&S scoped rifles arriving on the scenes in the fall of 1915. Upon return it appears all these rifles/scopes were scrapped other than a Battalion or
Divisional War Trophy. There was one out west that was a trophy used by Louis Riel's nephew (who was killed) but it was destroyed in a fire.
lots of true photos on the net of these rifles - usually group shots demonstrating sniper schools or company/battalion active observer/sniper teams. John

Well that would explain where someone got the 907 number, didn't think that was a correct number for rosses.
Ya, have found lots of pics of sniper schools and people in the field but as I say they were all mounting W&S.
Shame that went down in a fire.