Canadian snipers with Ross MkIII and P14 rifles in September 1918.

[Surpmil]

Have a look at this photo:

(Click on it to enlarge to full size)

Canadian snipers with P14 and Ross MkIII rifles in late 1918. At least one Ross MkIII and two or three P14s in evidence.

Some have SMLE's, those men may or may not be scouts/snipers.

Important photo as it shows the P14 in front line use in WWI as sniping rifle, although probably with probably Winchester A5 scopes, or none at all, rather than Patt. 16 or 18 scopes.

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[Nigel]

I must be missing something - I agree that there are P14, Ross and SMLE rifles in the picture but evidence is there for snipers?

[buffdog]

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One Ross, two SMLE and three P-14 rifles. There is no visible scopes on the rifles. One of the SMLE rifles has a canvas cover over the action so it is highly probable that this one is not a Sniper rifle. A bit speculative, perhaps.

[Surpmil]

Ross rifle was withdrawn in 1916, except for use by snipers.

P14 was issued only to snipers.

Or am I mistaken?

Someone near Ottawa could track down this series of photos and perhaps find some that do, or don't, show scopes.

Looking more closely at the photo in the link, at maximum size, I can see one P14 and two Ross MkIIIs.

[Surpmil]

Screen shots enlarged.

The Ross Mk.III backsight, like the backsight on the P14 was considered of sufficiently fine adjustment that it could be used for sniping purposes. It was found that the less than ideal scopes and mounts our snipers were provided with, were often not sufficiently better than good quality iron sights to justify their cost and maintenance issues. There was also a degree of latitude in many formations of the Canadian Corps allowed to the snipers as to what rifles they used. The Ross and P14 were also far superior to the average SMLE in accuracy, as is or should be, well known.

Both McBride and Hesketh Prichard refer to this question IIRC.

Have you gents got any photos of Rosses or P14s being used by regular soldiers of the Canadian Corps in 1918?

These men were the first of their battalion to enter the town in question, making them most likely to be battalion scouts - a synonym for snipers in most battalions.