1903 was a bad year....

[muffett.2008]

By today's standards, this man would be locked up for a long time, soldier or not.
The carry position was over the shoulder, but the rifle still should have not been loaded until on the firing point.
My thoughts are M.E although the Long Lee was in use at the time, Tpr. Lonsdale would have used one in the Boar War, strangely enough I knew both families, what the article does not say is that he left a wife and two children fatherless, I grew up with the grandkids.