U.S. Use of the SMLE

[Tom Jackson]

I just purchased "U.S. MILITARY BOLT ACTION RIFLES" by Bruce Canfield. Bruce devotes 11 pages to the Mosin-Nagant and discusses U.S. use of the Ross and Berthier rifles. His discussion of the SMLE is limited to: "...a few U.S. Army units trained with the British and were equipped with .303 SMLE bolt action rifles for a period of time. ...these weapons were not used in combat by our guys...". Canfield makes a very serious error with respect to U.S. use of the SMLE. In 1917-18 the British trained and equipped TEN U.S. Divisions (280,000 men). Two British trained U.S. Divisions, the 27th and 30th, formed the American II Corps and fought with the British 4th Army from September 1918 until the end of the war. The contribution of the 27th and 30th Divisions in WWI has been completely ignored. These divisions played a key part in the British breach of the Hindenburg Line in September-October 1918 and sustained heavy losses (1,829 KIA and 6505 WIA for the 27th Division and 1641 KIA and 6774 WIA for the 30th Division). More Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to the 27th Division than any other division in the American Expeditionary Force. The 27th and 30th Divisions were completely equipped and supplied by the British and were armed with SMLE rifle, Lewis and Vickers guns. Canfield's statement that the SMLE was not used in combat by the U.S. Army is a significant mistake. However, American historians tend to ignore American service with the British Army and RAF in WWI and WWII. Most of the top scoring U.S. Aces in WWI flew with the RAFC or RAF as did several in WWII (one of the famous Dam Buster aircraft had an American pilot). To ignore the service of the 27th and 30th Divisions in WWI and to state that the SMLE was not used in combat by the U.S. Army is incorrect. In terms of rifles issued and actual combat use the SMLE probably ranks as the most important non-American made rifle used by the U.S. Army since the Civil War.

Information

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[Roger Payne]

Thanks Tom. I agree wholeheartedly with you. I visit the old Western Front battlefields regularly & only a few weeks ago was on the site of the 'Breaking of the Hindenburg Line' of September 1918, in which many US troops (SMLE equipped) took part. In fact the breaking of the Line in the Riqueval/Bellicourt area was a true multi national feat of arms, with US, Australian & British troops all playing a prominent part.

Mr Canfield writes excellent books for collectors of US martial arms, but he is certainly wrong in his statements on the US use of the SMLE.

ATB

[gsimmons]

Attachment 49712Attachment 49713
132nd Inf. Reg't. 33rd div. fought at Hamel with the Aussies. Corporal Thomas Pope received the MM from King George V. Look how they're armed and equipped.

[Mk VII]

If I recall, he was the first American soldier to receive a British decoration since the Revolution.

[browningautorifle]

Nice gear...eagle snaps, 1907 slings on SMLE...

[Robert303]

I trust you have written to Mr Canfield to advise him of the 'Errors'.

[Tom Jackson]

I don't think there is much point. Bruce has stated his opinions on U.S. use of the SMLE in several venues over the years. If the lack of discussion of SMLE use by the US Army is an oversight his research is deficient. If the omission is deliberate he displays a definite bias. The fact remains that significant numbers of SMLE rifles were used by the U.S. Army in training AND combat during WWI. Furthermore, the operations in which the U.S. Army used SMLEs were considerably more important than the limited use of the Mosin-Nagant in Siberia and North Russia. I think that fact needs to be recognized. "BORROWED SOLDIERS" by Mitchell Yockelson is a good account of the operations of the 30th and 27th Divisions in WWI and American/British relations generally.

[breakeyp]

As mentioned, "Borrowed Soldiers" is an excellent book. Also of interest is "Over There with O'Ryan's Roughnecks" by William F. Clarke. Undated, Superior Publishing Co. Seattle Washington. Good photographs. Author served in the 27th U S Division with British forces in Belgium and France.

It is interesting that all the US histories and TV documentaries stress that Pershing fought hard to keep the American forces whole and not pieced out to regiments of France and Britain while ignoring what really happened.

[Surpmil]

I just purchased "U.S. MILITARY BOLT ACTION RIFLES" by Bruce Canfield. Bruce devotes 11 pages to the Mosin-Nagant and discusses U.S. use of the Ross and Berthier rifles. His discussion of the SMLE is limited to: "...a few U.S. Army units trained with the British and were equipped with .303 SMLE bolt action rifles for a period of time. ...these weapons were not used in combat by our guys...". Canfield makes a very serious error with respect to U.S. use of the SMLE. In 1917-18 the British trained and equipped TEN U.S. Divisions (280,000 men). Two British trained U.S. Divisions, the 27th and 30th, formed the American II Corps and fought with the British 4th Army from September 1918 until the end of the war. The contribution of the 27th and 30th Divisions in WWI has been completely ignored. These divisions played a key part in the British breach of the Hindenburg Line in September-October 1918 and sustained heavy losses (1,829 KIA and 6505 WIA for the 27th Division and 1641 KIA and 6774 WIA for the 30th Division). More Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to the 27th Division than any other division in the American Expeditionary Force. The 27th and 30th Divisions were completely equipped and supplied by the British and were armed with SMLE rifle, Lewis and Vickers guns. Canfield's statement that the SMLE was not used in combat by the U.S. Army is a significant mistake. However, American historians tend to ignore American service with the British Army and RAF in WWI and WWII. Most of the top scoring U.S. Aces in WWI flew with the RAFC or RAF as did several in WWII (one of the famous Dam Buster aircraft had an American pilot). To ignore the service of the 27th and 30th Divisions in WWI and to state that the SMLE was not used in combat by the U.S. Army is incorrect. In terms of rifles issued and actual combat use the SMLE probably ranks as the most important non-American made rifle used by the U.S. Army since the Civil War.

Phrases like "our guys" aren't usually the mark of a serious historian.

Your post was very informative though, thank you.

I understand the Canadian Corps had a small role in the breaking of the Hindenberg Line as well.

[bigduke6]

The pic of the SMLE,s with the 1907 slings may be the answer to another question regarding the slings that PL mentioned about in another thread (quite a recent one started by Chosenman)