Irish (?) contract No4 rifles

[Peter Laidler]

The Irish contract No4 rifles.

I know that there's always been some doubt about this subject and especially the sheer....., not just sheer, but VAST quantities of the supposed contract. Nobody doubts that the Irish Defence Force did indeed purchase sufficient quantities of weaponry, .... Anyway....

What follows is my own opinion, based on nothing more than facts based on intelligence sources I have gleaned over the past years and what I call, the bleedin’ obvious.

Firstly, my jaundiced view of this so call contract is well known. However, whatever the size of the Irish Army, a small Defence Force, a larger effective Army or a huge Army lies at the core. For however spectacular, well trained, disciplined and many other things they are, the average, educated, erudite, sage person couldn’t really call it a large one. Even their heroic role as UN peacekeepers don’t alter the fact that it is, in world Army terms, small (see Janes World Armies). One answer for this small size is answered in the next paragraph. But it COULD be of course, in the parlous – or even perilous – or even penniless - state of that nations finances, especially in the period we’re looking at

So the question I most reasonably ask is this? Why would a neutral don’t forget, island Nation, surrounded by sea, (except for a reasonably friendly and tolerant North and a friendly Britain across the sea) purchase in the mid 50’s enough rifles and machine guns to equip 70 full Infantry Battalions*. Just read that again if you please…….. 70 *equivalent UK sized Infantry Battalions……. It’s just mind boggling. Just to put things into perspective or to elaborate on belief stupidity, according to your point of view of course, that was LARGER than the equivalent size of the national service fed British Army of the period. Yep……., that’s the one stationed all over the globe as far as the eye could see, and with a HUGE standing NATO Army defending the eastern flank in Europe.

It might be that the nations coffers had suddenly been swelled by a gold rush or a new found agricultural policy or a….., well, something else. Or maybe, the nation that suddenly rushed to re-equip its small Defence Force with soon-to-be obsolescent bolt action rifles knew something we didn’t know. That’s another point too. Every other Western looking nation was in the process or - or certainly looking with one eye – to re-arming with the new NATO standard caliber and a semi automatic rifle.

But there’s more…….. Those who have been to Afghanistan recently will have seen, heard of or read the intelligence supplements and on these, you’ll have read and seen lists of small arms, captured, seized, found, caches located etc etc etc. The reasons for these lists, quantities and serial numbers will be obvious to those who need to know and evaluate this type of stuff of which I will say no more. Now whether you know this or not, I don’t think there is any secret whatsoever, that Britain, among other nations, supplied vast Arms shipments to the factions fighting the Soviet backed Afghan Army and Russian supporting Army years earlier.

Britain supplied the Mujahadeen with thousands of new .303” No4 rifles from obsolete stockpiles, only to find that when the time came, these rifles were (badly) stored and used against us. You’ve guessed what happened next can’t you? Yep, these PF, A, UF and other serial numbered Enfield leapt out at you from the lists. And lo and behold, hundreds of these serial number blocks fall right into the blocks allocated to ‘The Irish Contract’. Now, whatever Eire is, it’s not a warlike nation but Neutral one and it is highly unlikely that that peace loving people handed out some of their warlike stockpiles to help their brotherly Mujahadeen brethren. Of course it MIGHT, but I very much doubt it.

This previously withheld information has been known to some forumers for some time but I don’t think that it is breeching any confidences now that the Country has been freed.

Now there’s the question that has been troubling or causing some head scratching for some time….. Some No4 rifles, including one this very week, plus a 1985 converted L59 DP rifle which prompted this short article are in the hands of owners and are clearly marked with UK Military markings such as School CCF or local Army Cadet Force tags and unit markings such as the UIN details in paint, on the butt. And THESE are also within the serial number ranges of rifles earmarked as ‘Irish Contract’

Irish Contract? Or an exercise in whatever you like to call it. But even so, they might have bought a lot..... but 70 Battalions worth…..!!!!! You're havin' a laugh! I know I’m the eternal cynic, but I ain’t stupid!

• That figure is based on hurried back of an envelope maths so don’t quibble about the absolutes

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.