Smle mk v

[gsimmons]

Were Mk V's used in WWII? If so in what role(s). Thank you


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[newcastle]

probably because we were desperate at the time, and (without wishing to unbearably smartarsed) they were probably used as rifles.

[gsimmons]

I guess I could have worded that differently eh? How about in a combat role or second line etc. I kind of deserved that didn't I?

[Peter Laidler]

Thinking out aloud Gary, if they were used in a serious front line role anywhere, I can't help thinking that there would have been an additional small-arms notice to the effect that '....... quartermasters and Armourers should be aware that quantities of rifles designated No1 Mk5 have been issued to augment existing stocks....... etc etc.....' You know the sort of things. Additionally, Armourers would have a parts list of different parts too. Otherwise they'd be out on a limb. I have never seen a note to that effect or even a parts list.

There was a note to this effect about non standard No4 rifles, identifiable by the now obsolescent cut-off (this'll be the trials rifles) and similar rifles identified as the Mk6 rifle (this'll be No1 Mk6's). But no mention of Mk5's

These little flimsy paper notices for the information of Armourers came out periodically as a sort of early amendment to the big instructions to Armourers. But being flimsy paper, very few seem to have lasted. I have one dealing with the very early repairs to Sten guns

[gsimmons]

Thank you, that's what I was looking for. I was trying figure out what the disposition of 20,000 rifles was. What role/use they played after the trials.

[Peter Laidler]

I have a funny feeling that there was always a dire shortage of backsights for Mk5's but their days were numbered, even during the actual period. I remember Captain Viney, the range/shooting instructor at Carlisle in 1964 or so had one that was missing the back sight and he'd cobbled together a P-H type sight as a rearsight. That was the first time that I'd seen a PH vernier sight and he gave me one for my No7 rifle. Quite what prompted this show of generosity I'll never know as he was a bit of an ogre. Mind you, not as much as an ogre as Harry Weeks who was a REAL xxxxxxg ogre!

Once I was Commissioned, I always had a dream that one day, I'd walk into a room on some camp somewhere and he'd be sitting down at his desk, giving some young apprentices a bit of stick or clever arsed comments and I could say to him
'....stand up when I come in smart-arse........ You don't remember me do you......... Apprentice Laidler......, remember........, you told me my sketch of the 3.5 rocket launcher trigger mechanism looked like something I'd nicked off an old cooker! Not so smart now are you.....

But you can only dream on. But maybe you'd just spend an hour exchanging pleasantries. But he knew his stuff about Brens

[Beerhunter]

Once I was Commissioned, I always had a dream that one day, I'd walk into a room on some camp somewhere and he'd be sitting down at his desk, giving some young apprentices a bit of stick or clever arsed comments and I could say to him
'....stand up when I come in smart-arse........ You don't remember me do you......... Apprentice Laidler......, remember........, you told me my sketch of the 3.5 rocket launcher trigger mechanism looked like something I'd nicked off an old cooker! Not so smart now are you...

It never works out like that Peter. I was relentlessly bullied by a much older (and so much bigger) boy at my junior school. I dreamt of the time when we would be the same size and I could take him on with a chance of paying him back. We both grew up as I had planned but I became a Systems Engineer and he a local hard man and villain. So I shelved my my plan indefinitely.

[Paul S.]

It never works out like that Peter. ... We both grew up as I had planned but I became a Systems Engineer and he a local hard man and villain. So I shelved my my plan indefinitely.

There was a bloke in my class at school that was annoying but seemingly harmless. Twenty-five years later, I'm watching the morning news on the telly while dressing for work and there's him on the news being led out in cuffs by the boys in blue. I think he's still in prison.

[Frederick303]

I had one of the early pre 1928 Parker hale No 5 sights (not 5 A). These sights were made without the adjustable zero plates that the later No 5 A sights have, and have a slightly different shape to them. I understand this pattern of sight was made between 1925 and late 1928, being replaced by the 5a in early 1929

I any case when I came across one of the sightless Mk V rifles, I put this sight on. It is an exact fit, like it was designed to fit the SMLE MK V rifle. The existing rear sight base acts like a sight protector for the No 5 sight. When the No 5 sight is completely in the down position, it is almost touching the sight base holes for the MK V sight, but is just clear on them. The windage arm adjustment wheel is just past the right hand side of the sight base. The parker hale No 5 sight works like a charm so when I actually got the correct sight for the rifle, I never installed it, it sits still in my spares bin.

In any case since then I have always assumed the No 5 Parker Hale sight was designed with the SMLE MK V in mind.

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 PM ----------

Oh yes, in regards to bullies.

There was a rather nasty but clever bully in my brother’s class, a few years ahead of me. I never dealt with him in school, but when employed as a petrol station attendant had a crossing with him. Nasty piece of work, you could just tell there was something not quite right about him and he was to be avoided.

About 5 to 10 years after when back on holiday I read that he is in jail, having killed a prostitute for stealing his wallet. Beat her up and threw her in a canal where she drowned. It was a life sentence. My brother was not surprised by that. There are some who just cannot live in civilization, those anti-social attributes come out early in life.

[Peter Laidler]

Thanks lads. I had to chuckle! I hope you did too....... Mind you, it NEARLY happened once. I was a Sergeant (A TA reservist.....) and me and my pal had driven down for miles and miles from the Scottish training areas in a clapped out old Bedford RL and decided to stop at an Engineers Depot in Ripon, late in the evening. The cook sloshed us up something just edible to eat and the Mess found us a room and bed to kip on with sheets and blankets instead of sleeping bags and tents or the back of the truck. We had just the barest of civillain clothes between us and after a shower, went down to the bar for a drink. Only to be told that we had to wear ties and a bloody jacket! We should have known really..... But if we went out into the back room and drank our couple of beers and crisps it'd all be sort of OK unless the Orderly Sergeant saw us - which he did!

Next morning we paid our bill and there was a note from the RSM, telling us to report to him at 0915. Well......, we wanted to be gone by about 0800 and our combats (combat clothing and boots) were filthy. Anyway, we didn't clean up as he was bound to understand the two hard and overworked reservist Sergeants on the Military Training Team. But no....., he didn't understand and went on to tell us about not bringing a civillian tie or jacket with us as well as the usual gibberish they spout!

I was due to be commissioned in the next few weeks and really felt like saying something like '.............' You know what I mean! But I felt a nudge in the side from Sgt 'Lash' Langford as if telling me to '......you've only got a few weeks of this shxx left and you're out of his hair' So it went in one ear and out of the other. Filled up the Bedford with petrol and off we went. Least said, soonest mended!

I wouldn't have minded, but he followed the telling off with a note to my unit at Banbury........... My boss, another paratrooper, Capt Jock Fox called me in, ripped it up in front of me and without another word said '....off you go'