german marked SMLE (real or fake?)

[villiers]

Ah yes Villiers, but they were CAPTURED AND STORED by the wermacht. Then presumably issued to the volkspeople by them. Yes?

I don't want to cloud the real issue with this side issue. I just toss it in as a further point to ponder.

Yes Peter, they were captured and stored by the Wehrmacht ... but not ISSUED to Wehrmacht units. When the time came, they were broken out of storage and handed out to the local Volkssturm. (From what I´ve heard, they were then discarded in the nearest ditch).

To get back on topic: the immediate re-issue of captured weapons (i.e. Enfields) would necessarily entail a quick armourer´s check and cursory application of acceptance stamps to indicate permitted use. Don´t really think that those responsible would have had latter-day US collectors in mind while doing their job under improvised or front line conditions. B*ggered stamps are not all that uncommon.