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[repost] Is anyone tracking Ross Mk II and III survivors? If so, can someone point me to the location/custodian of the list?
If not, is there any interest in such a list? Though I'm awaiting the arrival of my first Ross, I would be willing to take this on.
I am trying to organize a list, but only have a few serials/inv. no.s. As far as I can tell, so far, there was no rhyme or reason as to how the Canadians assembled the rifles they were going to sell to the U.S. Looking at the U.S. inventory numbers, the rifles only have one thing in common. They are all Mark II's. The Improvements (Star designations) are all over the place. So far, all I have seen have had relatively high U.S. inventory nos. , with Canadian numbers across the board. Hope this helps.
But I picked up a Ross bayonet yesterday. Has the sheath, but the belt frog is gone. Bayo hilt is pretty pitted, but a start. Now to find a Ross that won't break the bank.
As for Canada, I'm sure the RCMP have a complete list of all Ross survivors on the north side of the wire....Should any of them up there not be on the Registry, it would indeed be foolish for a Canadian owner to document ownership of same...In the US, there really are not likely too many examples, other than the 20,000 bought from Canada in late 1917 when the US decided it was safe to get involved in a war that began for Britain and the Commonwealth back in 1914.The shipment of 20,000 was intended to be used for drill purpose only, so most likely Armoury lockers and Cadet Corps stores were cleaned out and packed. Only short Mk II's (Mk II, Mk*,MkII3*, Mk II 4* & Mk II 5*) were selected. To the best of my knowledge, none of the heavier, improved Mk II**'s were shipped south.For interest,the US rifles were accompanied by bayonets and scabbards with US proofs, and the brass oilers were left in the butt trap, but had their Canadian proofs ground off the caps.They likely shipped with the Canadian leather slings, but were later equipped with canvas Kerr NoBukl slings, The hard-cover Canadian 1907 Manual (showing the MkII with the MkIII sight ) was reprinted in a soft-cover and issued as the 1917 Manual.A high percentage of the 20,000 have since been butchered by Bubba here in the US, although clean, unmolested examples do surface occasionally, and it's a real pleasure to see the complete kit still together. There was even a very scarce version of the Hollifield "Dotter" spring-loaded target kit purchased by both NY & PA Guard units sold here in the US marked for "Ross Rifle".