Printable View
Good day: A friend recently came into possession of a LE Jungle Carbine and there were some markings on the butt stock that I was hoping some of you experts could help us determine what they meant:
26 10 48
I H L
255
C. SQN
The first line is fairly self-evident as a date, the rest are open to a bit of interpretation. Any idea what lines 2-4 are?
'Squadron' indicates an Armoured regiment so it could be XXX Lancers. If it was somewhere like Malaya, it'd only be light armour as opposed to tanks
A photo might make it easier for us to decipher
Welcome to milsurps others may be along with information about the lettering
Nope............ he's gone Cinders. Like loads of other one-hit-wonders that seem to come and go...............
He read Peter's answer and ran...pics would have been nice.
Still here lads, it was Christmas after all :-) I'm afraid that the "engraving" is a bit faded and doesn't show up well in photos. I will try and photograph it. It does look like it was hand-done, definitely not professional in nature.
just set up a set of pictures an the pro's here will get you straight
That's right, that's how they look.Quote:
Originally Posted by GunsNotPuns
My friend should be back in town tomorrow from his holiday season jaunt to see family and I'll post the best pictures I can manage.
Hi GunsNotPuns strangely I have a Shirley No 5 with almost the same markings. Check that your I isn't in fact 1HL, research on mine came up with Rhodesian SAS formed in 1948 as C Squadron 1HL.
My markings are:
26 10 48
1HL
217
CSQN
Hope this helps, is it by any chance a Shirley made one like mine?
Dick
You may be right Aussie48 for the sake of a misread numeral it seems to match up pretty much with what is stamped on your No.5 go figure that right down to date and sqdn amazing this place is simply amazing.:thup:
Strange, that was what I kept coming up with on his too...so I wonder?Quote:
Originally Posted by Aussie48
I am almost willing to bet that your interpretation of of IHL as 1HL is absolutely correct!Quote:
Originally Posted by Aussie48
I must apologize for my absence from this thread after I promised a picture of the markings. I sprained my ankle over the Christmas holidays and was largely immobile. Today we had a snow storm but I took my game ankle out regardless to get a picture...and he had sold the bloody rifle.
In fact the very day that I looked at it he sold it off. So I can't confirm Shirley or provide a picture.
Not an auspicious way for me to introduce myself to this forum and I apologize for starting it and then failing to provide a picture. However, I am fairly comfortable with Dick's explanation that the rifle has some connection to the Rhodesian SAS given that the markings are virtually identical.
So my apologies and my thanks for your assistance gentlemen, it is greatly appreciated. Hopefully my next contribution to the forum will go a little more smoothly :)
Aussie48, excuse my ignorance, but what does 1 HL stand for?
Rhodesian Special Air Service - WikipediaQuote:
During the Malayan campaign (1951–1953), a group of men from Southern Rhodesia volunteered to go to Malaya and were initially known as "The Far East Volunteer Group" later to become the Malayan Scouts. While in Malaya, they became "C" Squadron (Malayan Scouts) of the already formed "A", "B" Squadron of the British SAS. When "C" Squadron concluded their tour of duty they came back to Southern Rhodesia and the unit was disbanded.
Was about to ask the same thing. "Helicopter Landing" is about the only thing that comes to mind, if in fact there is any connection to Malaya etc. at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by RobD
Hi everyone.
This will interest you all.
Have a look at these markings
The rifle is a 12/44 Fazakerley
Could this been B Squadron SAS?
Still can not work out the 1HL though
Regards
Peter
Also, I have only seen 1HL at the end of a lot of British Addresses.
Still do not know what it stands for - Home Land? haha