My Lithgow 1918 ShtLe * Lee Enfield.

[GhostRider]

I thought Slazenger was a english company?

[Roy]

I think the S arrow on the stock is a sanded out Sold out of Service mark, but I havent seen those marks on the wood before. Slazenger took over the wood shop of the Lithgow factory early on in WW2 presumably on account of their experience with cricket bats, tennis raquets etc. their mark is a 'Slaz' followed by a date eg. Slaz 44, they also did bayonet grips. The black/red stail may be creosote which originally preserved the woodwork but is often sanded off to reveal the honey like coachwood. Nice rifle i'm on the lookout for a similar rifle, ive got the wood for one.

[Peter Laidler]

Slazenger might have started as a pommy company but since you beat us at Tennis and Cricket, we thought that you might as well have the company to make your Cricket clubs and tennis bats.

Anyone else out there confirm the disputed Arrow - S under the fore-end on this Aust No1 rifle/rifles. Sale mark or Slazenger? On the basis that slazenger wasn't always marked as SLAZ

[5thBatt]

It's the same sale mark as on the receiver, you can see the remains of the other broad arrow... just.

[Peter Laidler]

I asked because it just seems a strange place to put a sale mark........ To me, having been at the sharp end of this sort of thing, to put the sale mark onto the woodwork is open to, well...... all sorts of misuse, It's the BODY that is the master component and the BODY that must be marked. That's why it is the serially numbered and accountable part!

[5thBatt]

I have at least one SMLE with a sale mark on the butt that i can recall, will post pic later when home

Or you can look up my 1904 Mk1 SMLE thread.

[Homer]

Yep very common to see the sale stamp applied to the butt of Australian service rifles. Often you also see the mark on the underside of the forend as well.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

You asked what a Slazenger mark would mean on a Lithgow rifle made in Australia............? Somebody in Australia better break the news!

Tha latter mark is a repair mark of 9/44

Does that mean it is only suitable for launching tennis balls?

[GhostRider]

Here are some better photos of the marks on the barrel and funiture. I took a picture of the looks like a 5 on the underside of the handguard, with what looks like a padlock? above it, could just be a ding but it looks a little bit more pronounced. Also the barrel was replace in 1951, could this mean the rifle could have served in WW1, WW2 and the Korean war? could also someone do a Valuation on the rifle?
Attachment 46726Attachment 46727Attachment 46728Attachment 46729Attachment 46730Attachment 46731Attachment 46732

[Homer]

Where's the 5? I see a 1 under the sale stamp I think. Looking from my phone so detail is not great.