Use of the L42 in the Falklands Conflict

[chosenman]

I’m currently working on a book about a century of British military sniping and in the course of my researching all manner of items I have spoken with many people, a great many of whom were snipers back in the day. An item I was keen to get to the bottom of is the SF bracket for mounting the S&B scope on the L42. When the L96 ran into trouble 14 maintenance advisory group carried out a feasibility study of mounting the S&B on both the L42 and L39 and for the L42 modified two no32 brackets and had two commercially manufactured brackets produced. They recommended the use of the L13A1 S&B regardless.
Prior to this the SAS produced their own bracket of which ITDU were completely unaware of and is available today in very small numbers of which all are unpainted for service. I spoke with a forma SAS sniper who recalls the brackets and he says they were never anything other than a trials and development item.
I have encountered two brackets identical to the SAS brackets that were painted black and do indeed look like they have had a service life but having spoken with a number of RM’s and SBS I can not find anyone who recalls them. I would suggest the L13 did not serve a single day on the L42.