What’s your Lee Enfield Holy Grail?

[tas]

Just a Note..about 2 yrs ago I posted a Pic of a Saxby and Farmer Short Rifle/Pistol with discharge cup attached...The Cup was stamped Saxby and Farmer as well as the wood stock on the rifle itself..I was attacked and told no mention was in the Bible "The Lee Enfield Story"
Good New..after sending the Author a Pic and Note..And on Christmas..He confirmed there was indeed a Saxby and Farmer listed...and suggested the rifle was converted for Indian Use. By perhaps Saxby and Farmer.
Thank You Ian for Your help in this matter.
It was a lively conversation when I orginally posted this Item. I ran! As I was made to feel very shady...With No ability to defend.
I'm Glad I waited to hear from the Source.
Tas

Hi from the sunny Gold Coast in Oz,
References in the 2007 enlarged & updated 'Lee-Enfield' book, under Discharger, Smoke in the index. pp196, 228, 416. Illustrated on p. 416 in both No.1 & No.4 rifle conversions.
Discharger cups are described pp. 410-416
The item was a smoke discharger for use on AFVs, your sample appears to be an Indian conversion.
Saxby & Farmer are listed as suppliers to the War Office, add. 53 Victoria St., London SW1, supplying signal mountings, &c.; discharger cups and conversions were done on private contract rather than for the War Office.
Interesting that Saxby & Farmer is marked on the wood stock too, they likely did the conversion as well.
The rifle looks like an Ishapore so maybe that particular contract was for India rather than the War Office, hence the different style of markings and absence of the broad arrow.
Merry Christmas,
Ian Skennerton

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[coggansfield]

11 Jan. 2013
2:50pm

I've been very lucky with my finds as well. I have some pretty scarce stuff, if I say so myself. But what I would really like is a Lee-Metford mk. I (no star) with Lewes sights.

Two cars, two kids and one wife offered in return.

Coggansfield

[Seaforth72]

My Holy Grail not yet found: Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk. I (T), Canadian, with service combat history, ideally from the sniper himself.

In the meantime I am content with my "bird in the hand" No. 4 Mk. I (T) 1943 BSA with No. 32 Mk. I scope (scope mismatch # to rifle and missing rear eye shade) and the accompanying Scout Regiment Telescope.

Biggest regret: I sold my No. 4 Mk. I (T) 1945 British sniper rifle, NOS in the chest, which I bought from Lever Arms in Vancouver, BC, Canada circa 1972. They were normally $100. I waitied for the January 25% off sale and got it for $75!

Above all - the one I would NEVER part with is my slightly battered 1918 Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk. III* which was carried by a member of the Essex Scottish Regiment on Red Beach in the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, was brought back by a wounded survivor (one of only 51 Essex Scottish men who made it back to the UK) and was hidden under the floorboards of his tent. http://www.ekscot.org/index/history/dieppe-raid/

My Dad, as a replacement Lieutenant to the regiment found it. He took it to the armourer Sergeant. The butt was damaged and the bore was rusty. The unit had by then just switched to the No. 4 Mk. I Lee-Enfield. The Sgt. put it in the vice, took a straight chisel and went "bang, bang, bang", thus creating the /|\ facing another /|\ mark, the sign of being released from service and threw it in a corner.

Dad pointed to his two pips his shoulder (Lieutenant rank) and said "Sergeant, we are going to fix that damned thing!" They grafted on a butt from a No. 4 Lee-Enfield. Cleaned the bore which retained pitting half way down the barrel. Dad then carried the rifle in service with the Essex-Scottish and while he was attached to No. 4 Commando[/B], in preference to the heavy Thompson 1928A1 Machine Carbine (SMG).



Lieutenant A. H. Stevens with this Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk. III* in England in 1943.

The only other Dieppe Raid rifles that I know of are in the Canadian War Museum (no bolt, no magazine) picked up by a French family, and a stone encrusted one found in the ocean off Dieppe and now in the Dieppe Museum.

His father had been taught to shoot by one of Annie Oakley's co-workers. In WWI he was the Musketry Officer for the 2nd Canadian Division and later he was an MG instructor with the Royal Flying Corps (Canada) in WWI. Dad grew up as a marksman. One day after fixing up the rifle. out at the ranges in England, the Battalion snipers were practicing with their brand new No. 4 Mk. I (T) sniper rifles. Each put a shilling in a hat for the winner. Dad told his batman to get get that f_____g rifle out of his quarters. Using his old fashioned iron sights he took home the prize. When he was later wounded on a Commando Raid in 1943, he was sent back to Canada as an instructor. He brought his Lee-Enfield home (including sling, bayonet, scabbard and frog) and I now have these.

[AR15-M4]

the holy grail for me is the one I just acquired 1945 all numbers matching with carrying box 47c sniper rifle can't wait to get a round or 2 off at the range

[Aussie48]

My Holy Grail is a 1945 Lithgow No6 MK 1/1 and it looks like I have finally tracked one down, will supply some pictures once it is safely in my hands.

[OldmanTD]

I have always wanted to own the early SMLE pre 1918 target rifle made by BSA and having the Parker Hale peep sight , and also wanted a Long Branch no.4 last week I was able to acquire both ,Now the No.4 T is on my list (has been for years), These will be tested tomorrow afternoon , At the Trails End Range just outside Chatham Ontario

[the old gringo]

mine was finding a #4 fez. dated 1955 all matching no.s

[The African]

Good day all. Just joined and this is my first post. I picked my No4Mk2 FAZ up today been looking for one for ages. The one i got was manufactured in 1949 and I took it out the original grease wrapping today. To find one in this state where I live is almost unheard of and then to still be granted a licence to own it is also very special. If I could workout how to post photos I would. I also have two No1Mk111's (sadly not original) and I,m busy negotiating a No4Mk1T.

[mausernut]

Mine would be a Longbranch No 4 Mk 1 if it was a Lee Enfield. In Enfield it wold probably be an 1853 Enfield

[P51Mustang]

That's my grail..... Was purchased in 1966 for the pricely sum of $79.95 with FOB. Wish I got 20 of them! All matching with transit case and scope can.