Another Essex County Home Guard Ross surfaces.

[Sapper740]

I picked this very nice Ross MkIII up last year and I believe it is the finest example extant. It was purchased from a collector in Michigan which is where some other Ross Rifles may have ended up after WWI. Here's the story as I've heard: The Essex County (Ontario) Home Guard was formed in June 1915 after an attempt by German sympathizers from Detroit to blow up the Windsor Armouries. The Home Guard drilled two nights a week and guarded the ferry landings, railway tunnel and other strategic places in the Windsor and Essex County area. A Ross MkIII serial number HG 12197 / Rack number 109 has shown on The Ross Rifle Forum (read more here: HOME GUARD E.C.H.G. 109 rifle) My rifle is serial number HG 14259 / rack number 185. There is an apocryphal story of how some of these rifles ended up across the river in Michigan where I found mine, but that requires further research.
My rifle is in near mint condition with only the lightest of storage and handling marks. The bolt is unpinned and the chamber is the very tight commercial chamber. Bore is excellent. I let the pictures speak for themselves, enjoy!

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[browningautorifle]

First time I've heard that story and my family came from that area, I grew up there. I can't doubt it though.

[tiriaq]

Excellent piece. Thanks for posting the photos.
HG Ross rifles tend to be either in fine original condition or sporterized.

[Ovidio]

Fine rifle indeed.
I also like your armoury a lot!
What a great display.

[mrclark303]

What a find! I would love a Ross....

[desperatedan]

What a find! I would love a Ross....

John, Simon P has just listed one for sale....

[Surpmil]

A beauty as they usually are, though I once had the remains of one that was hashed about as badly as any rifle I've seen.

The Germans had a very active espionage and sabotage network in the USA during WWI. The Project Gutenberg eBook of The German Secret Service in America 1914-1918, by John Price Jones and Paul Merrick Hollister.


Tens of thousands of German reservists were called back "unofficially" from North America in the spring of 1914, as many as 60,000 by one account.