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on M1903's in WWI and to what extent? Do ya'll know of a source of history on the development of the sling or any other info? Hittin' a dry hole except for how to put it on a rifle and use it. Think it is the best sling design that I have ever seen.
Robert/LB
Kerr slings were purchased by Ordnance, were widely available, and one has to assume they were used in France. As I recall, Kerr slings have a 1914 patent date, which indicates they were available before U.S. entry into WWI. The M1917 Kerr sling was intended for use with the M1917 rifle and was appropriately lengthened. An M1903 shortened version of the Kerr sling exists and the USMC used it on their M1903 rifles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancebear
I'm pleased to hear that you're happy with your Kerr sling.
J.B.
The Kerr sling was born from a 1913 Ordnance request for a web sling to replace the M1907 leather sling.
The patent for the Kerr Adjustable Strap Company wasn’t for a rifle sling; it was for a buckle less adjustment method for a saddle stirrup that was adopted for use on the rifle sling. The 1914 date on the sling hardware is actually the second patent application submittal date.
I have seen seveal pictures of Doughboys in France with Kerr slings.
Jim
Seveal pictures are very special pictures!
Seveal? How about senile?
Jim
And than if you where in France ln WW1 and still breathing, you would be senile by now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Tarleton
I can't win for losing.
Jim
Hey Jim,
I think "Seveal" IS French for "Several", clever play on words you ole' prankster:). Senile would be "Seneal".
Thanks, Death to idiots in positions of power.....and badguys,
Robert
I lost track of the subject.
Jim
Hey Jim,
Think it's about a kar full of '03's that the USMC misplaced somewhere in France during the Great War:) Could be wrong though.
Robert
The Marines lost very little. I was recently reading about the Marine salvage parties that policed the battlefields for weapons and armaments after each battle. They even removed ammo and hand grenades off the Marine dead, who were buried with the 782 gear they had on. No mention was made as to what repairs were made in the field. Probably had 3rd or 4th Echelon Maintenance in the field at that time - not certain. The habit of using bayoneted 03's to mark graves was a temp measure for certain.
Just watched Palin's show on the 11th hour, 11th day casualties on Military Channel. The AEF lost 10,000 men on 11 Nov 1918 (1000 died that day). Many, if not most, of the graves bear the date of 10 Nov 1918. 2/3's of the bodies in the Muese-Argonne Cemetery were repatriated after the war (14000 left). If you spent 1 minute at each grave, it would take 30-8 hour days, or 6-5 day weeks, to see them all. There were originally 42,000 Americans buried in that cemetery alone (over 1/3 of all the American dead from WWI). Had no idea it was that extensive. Showed them polishing the headstones. I also noticed the French pronounce Muese and Asine in very strange ways. Neither are pronounced as they appear.
I did find that only one body was ever recovered from Cemetery #29, where the Belleau Woods Hill 142 Marines were buried in mass graves in the field north of Lucy Et. George.
Jim