South Australian Police with Martini rifles in the 1930s

Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser had a photo feature on their website today of everyday life in South Australia in the 1930s. One of the photos - specifically this one here - shows Port Adelaide police officers lining up for inspection in 1935. They are clearly armed with Martini rifles (likely Martini-Enfields) - and note the accompanying (fixed) bayonets!

We all know the Martini-Enfield was kicking around long after it was replaced in military service, but it's interesting to have photographic proof of it still being used in an official capacity by a police force somewhere like Australia on the eve of World War II.

The full length Martini would be a struggle whilst riding a horse, they appear to be mounted police. I wonder if they had carbines and were issued with rifles for the parade ground ?

An astute observation. I was more surprised they had Martinis at all, considering there were heaps of MLEs and SMLEs available by then. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say those Martinis didn't get much use in the 1930s so no-one saw the need to replace them with anything newer at the time.

It is also interesting these, circa 1935, 'Mounted Policemen' have Martini socket bayonets and scabbards. I have seen pictures of 1900 vintage Australian mounted troops with .303 caliber Martini-Enfield (or Metford) rifles. But, they were fitted with the front barrel band/bayonet lug for the relatively short Pattern 1888 'knife' bayonet.


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