No 3 Mk I*(T)(A) acquisition

[Sapper740]

She's a beaut for sure! One question: did they mark the Pattern 1916 telescope to the rifle as with the Lee Enfield sniper rifle? The rifle appears to be in excellent condition while the telescope looks to have had somewhat harder service. Interesting how the star on the receiver was double struck.

[smle addict]

From what I've read, the scopes were old recycled patterns originally fitted to the SMLE Mk III sniper rifles of WW1. The scopes still bear the serial number of the SMLE they were originally fitted to (as this example does). Only the mounts were numbered to the rifle. Other than what I've read in a few arms books, I have no idea where these saw service or if they were stored, then disposed of, post WW2.

[Surpmil]

From what I've read, the scopes were old recycled patterns originally fitted to the SMLE Mk III sniper rifles of WW1. The scopes still bear the serial number of the SMLE they were originally fitted to (as this example does). Only the mounts were numbered to the rifle. Other than what I've read in a few arms books, I have no idea where these saw service or if they were stored, then disposed of, post WW2.

Congrats on your find. There were only 421 made so survivors must be few. The only reference I have seen to their use in combat is Crete in 1941. Tom Barker was the man concerned and about twenty years ago I corresponded with him via email, initially because a website of his memoirs showed a photo of a No.4(T) and I was wondering if that was correct. By sending photos back and forth and determining what features of the rifle and scope he was certain of, we established he must have been using an Alex Martin P14 like yours, and probably with the same Aldis No.2 you have there. Tom did a lot of damage before he was ordered to surrender on the southern beaches of Crete when evacuation ceased. He suffered severely from PTSD to the end of his life, but found writing therapeutic at times. Two books of his memoirs have been published by his son: "Bayonets and Blue Flames: Surviving Palestine, North Africa, Crete and Stalag IVB" and "Sandstorms and Sniping". I understand the former is an expanded version of the latter.

There are photos of these rifles being used in sniping schools in the UK up to 1943 IIRC and they also appear an inventory of sniping rifles on issue in late 1943.