Pre-WW1 SMLE No.1

[Patrick Chadwick]

Have you seen a picture of the disc? I suspect the person has transcribed wrongly,

So do I. I have not contacted the seller, as I did not wish to do anything that might alert others and drive the price up. I cannot buy it myself, as I am a shooter, not a collector, and returning this rifle to a proper shootable configuration would destroy the historical aspect.

[Patrick Chadwick]

The most likely answer would be that the 'C' is a worn/poorly stamped 'G', which would fit the 3rd battalion of the Gordon Highlanders to a tee.

I agree - I cannot find anything else that is plausible.

[Surpmil]

This rifle was probably a 1914 or 1915 capture. After 1915 these rifles are rarely seen in photos and I suspect from the German side the novelty would have worn off by then. Could be that the rifle was issued to the 3rd Connaught Rangers and then either went to the front with a draft from that battalion (if drafts were sent) or was sent up if and when the 3rd Battalion was perhaps re-armed with older rifles temporarily, or perhaps even had to give up many or all of their rifles to replace losses at the front. We often see photos of Territorials or New Army men with CLLE's for example, so rifles were in short supply early in the war.

Personally I wouldn't be at all surprised if the story is true; the rifle may have been struck by shrapnel as it lay on the ground in the hands of the soldier, by then possibly dead. Men under bombardment have been known to hang onto anything close by very tightly, and "death grips" are similar.

1st Connaughts absorbed what was left of the 2nd Connaughts in 1914. The 1st Connaughts must have lost 100% to 200% of their strength before leaving France in December 1915. Fought in Ferozepore Brigade, Lahore Division, Indian Army Corps.

[Anzac15]

Has this rifle sold yet?

[browningautorifle]

Ende 28.04.2014 11:58:36 MEZ or... End 28.04.2014 11:58:36 CET So you still have time to bid...they're probably all set to snipe in the last 15 seconds.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Wonder what that translates to American dollars....

Sit quite still before you read this...

http://egun.de/market/item.php?id=4881520

[chosenman]

The history of such battle damaged rifles always interests me as to how they survived in seemingly untouched condition after all they were just "tools" back in the day, not held in the reverence as they are today. Why weren't they scrapped and why would something which almost certainly marked the death of someone be preserved???

[Peter Laidler]

Good point there Chosenman. We would occasionally get these battle damaged rifles back from 'warmer climes' through the system at work including several that had been used to fight off an ambush and the ambushers eventually murdered the group of NATO/UN soldiers (I'll leave it at that.....) I asked the unit/regiment museum if they wanted one or two of them plus a couple of the murder weapons to preserve for posterity. Not for show or display but in many years to come, after a few decades in a back store that would be quite historic artefacts.

A couple of days later after some ongoing dfiscussions the answer came back to the effect '........ Nope......, let bygones be bygones without the macabre reminders of history.....' So I supervised them all getting the chop with the hot-axe and only kept a couple of bayonets

[Wayne T]

Fellow Milsurpers as you are probably well aware Anzac Day was remembered recently.
I watched an interview with an Irish historian on our national tv channel.
He stated that the Connaught Rangers had fought along side the Anzacs at Lone Pine.
Could this be true? I haven't heard of this before

[Brit plumber]

Good point there Chosenman. We would occasionally get these battle damaged rifles back from 'warmer climes' through the system at work including several that had been used to fight off an ambush and the ambushers eventually murdered the group of NATO/UN soldiers (I'll leave it at that.....) I asked the unit/regiment museum if they wanted one or two of them plus a couple of the murder weapons to preserve for posterity. Not for show or display but in many years to come, after a few decades in a back store that would be quite historic artefacts.

A couple of days later after some ongoing dfiscussions the answer came back to the effect '........ Nope......, let bygones be bygones without the macabre reminders of history.....' So I supervised them all getting the chop with the hot-axe and only kept a couple of bayonets

You showed me those rifles Peter and I'll never forget it. I was based quite near where that incident took place and every time we went passed that place, I would always remember them. I'm in agreement that possibly in years to come their story will obscure into history with no tangible evidence. At least if there was a reminder, macabre as it may be, it would be real evidence to go with their story and not just another tale in a book from a long forgotten war. It's like the battle damaged rifle in the SASC, that is a real tangible link to an actual incident, there is only that link to the story, had it been scrapped or repaired, it's doubtful his story would have been told and if it was, I doubt it would have the same impact on people.