Parker hale serial number checks for the future

[Gil Boyd]

Dear Members,

Some good news and some bad news.

As you are aware. I have for a large number of years been responsible for assisting members with rifle serial number checks on all Parker Hale rifle numbers produced and also L42/Enforcer/L39 etc Lee Enfield breeds, and other rifles that I had the pleasure to be the custodian of.

Years of dealing with Parker Hale as a professional user in both the Military and the Police of their excellent weapons, I took it onboard to ensure that ALL the remaining records that survived several company takeovers were forever in safe hands via a good friend and long time engineer for PH Bill Smallwood, who many of you knew. Bill has now retired as we all have to from the jobs that we love and finally shoot from a recliner lol.

Clearly the records I hold are not every single rifle produced by Parker Hale but the Lee Enfiled records, albeit faded after much photostating are becoming a test of time but fairly complete.

I transferred manual records handed to me onto an Excel spreadsheet for ease of searching for members enquiries, so long after we have gone, a chain of reliable people can still provide records on what is left for historical reasons which is essential.

So the bad news, in November I was diagnosed as having Motor Neurone Disease, and although balance and walking are currently affected, from walking 5 miles everyday to 50 metres, as being an ex Paratrooper, is a real slap in the face to fitness!

So in short as the condition will no doubt worsen as time goes on, I have decided to hand the mantel of the record keeping over to John Clark who like me finds history in this area essential for all those enquiring on these historic weapons on Milsurps.

As long as I am still about and not in Valhalla I will too assist to break him in gently .

Parker Hale were, and still are one of the very best of British manufacturers who are sadly no longer with us, but their excellent rifles like the M85 and Canadian C3 sniper rifles will stand the test of time.

To John Clark............although we speak on a regular basis, I welcome you to a rare historic archive, its been a real privelige to do this for PH for so many missing years.
I know members won't overwork you for nothing ha ha!! but providing this service will be so valuable to Milsurps as a whole, making this site the best of the best and by doing this service for members and those coming onto the site for a brief request, will show ensure history is more important than one person.

My last point is, if you are still not a contributing member, please think long and hard about the amount of times perhaps I or one of my fellow record holders like Simon or Roy have assisted you on the vast rifle records we individually hold in our own time and spare a thought for Doug our webmaster who too does this in his own time with help from other Moderators, by making a donation by clicking on the flashing banner above right CLICK TO DONATE. We are all getting old so please consider donating to keep this wonderful site alive..............it doesn't have to be a lot for the returns you get from volunteers
UTRINQUE PARATUS
Gil

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