WW1 SMLE Trench Periscope

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07-14-2019, 02:52 PM
Buccaneer

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WW1 SMLE Trench Periscope

I have seen "Flanders Flaps" & "Wire Cutters" but this a first for me.
This trench periscope carries the name "T Walker & Son" Birmingham 1916. The only reference I can find to a "T Walker & Son" is of a company that made and patented ships logs & sounding machines in the late 1900's.
I have no idea how or even why something that is made of wood has survived for over 100 years in the condition that it is in. One of the leather straps has had a crude rivet repair and the objective mirror has a crack but that is the only damage.
The metal butt supports are made of cast brass or bronze with the locking screws being made of steel.
The picture of the periscope in use comes from the "Rifleman" and shows the rear of the butt being held in place with leather straps, it also shows the soldier using his left hand to pull the trigger.
There are two screw in eyes on this one which makes me think that there might have been some sort of loop tied around the trigger to allow both hands to be kept lower down.
I think that the chance of actually hitting anyone using this would be very slim as the field of view is very limited and even though it is well made it is still rather crude but even so I was very pleased to find it !!!
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07-14-2019, 04:12 PM
Roger Payne

There was a number of similar designs such as this, some more agricultural than others. The Youlten's Rifle Butt Hyposcope is probably the best known. IIRC there are photo's in The British Sniper by Ian Skennerton.
07-14-2019, 05:43 PM
Mk VII

Here is the same shot in a better quality scan

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...standard-1.jpg

and another type

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...standard-2.jpg

Most of these things were too clumsy for serious use, and sniping was better done with conventional rifles from properly concealed positions.
07-14-2019, 06:20 PM
breakeyp

Note the safety on the cocking piece. No.1 Mk2 or Mk4?
07-14-2019, 07:56 PM
Mk VII

It's a CLLE.
07-15-2019, 10:16 AM
Bear43

It is astounding to see one of these is still around. Quite a find.
07-17-2019, 06:37 AM
user1

What a find, amazing it's been kept this long time.
Thanks for sharing it
07-19-2019, 01:59 PM
Warren

I made a copy of the Beech stock and it was not too bad for close distances but not much good for longer ranges as I assume it was due to holding the rifle secure enough.
Got to dig it out for a picture or two.
07-20-2019, 12:30 PM
Buccaneer

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mk VII

It's a CLLE.

I had always assumed, always a dangerous thing to do, that this trench periscope had been made for the SMLE which is the way that I have shown it in this post. However I could not work out why I needed to loosen the bolts holding the clamps very slightly to allow the SMLE butt to fit.
It now makes sense that this particular trench periscope was made to accommodate the CLLE rifle as the slightly slimmer dimensions of the CLLE butt allow it fit between the clamps with no problem.