An additional (though rather belated) question:
Do you think these .22 LR Irish SMLEs may have been used by the Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil (FCA), that is the Irish Reserve Force?
I have found the following information on an Irish Army forum:
- I only fired the .22 version [of the N° 1 Mk III rifle] while attached to the 18th Infantry from the 28th Inf, they had 12 of them on their inventory a few of which were manufacture dated 1914;
- the .22 version of the Lee-Enfield was known as the Morris Conversion. Some were rebarrelled SMLEs and some were new end-of-production .303s, fitted with .22 barrels from new. We had them in the 23rd Bn in Cork and fired them in the indoor range;
- Mention of the .22 version of the SMLE brought back memories of the indoor range at Griffith barracks. I was part of the winning team from D Company that beat all the other companies in the 20th Battalion. I still have the trophy, my one and only trophy for anything and I still have the target. Very proud of that. I remember shooting away but I couldn't see any hits on the target. I asked the range officer. He told me 'You're knocking s*** out of the black half of the bull'. An amazing group if I say so myself. No scope either. Missed my calling as a sniper.
I remember checking out the SMLE, it was dated 1917. I wonder what happened to them?
Member of the Irish Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil (FCA),1954.
PM
