Information on No 4 Mk 1* in NZ Service

[Peter Laidler]

Have you ever heard of deck cargo? Have you ever seen deck cargo from across the Pacific? Grease and whatever else doesn't do much especially when they are left crated. Annanuvverfing. I was actually there......... Another small point is that while I was there I never saw a Mk1/2 or 1/3or 2. I asked our ordnance to supply the drawings for the conversion and still have them, copied and sent to me at Waiouru. The trouble is that I've had such a sheltered life. I need to get about a bit..............

Just read BAR's reply and my response and it sounded as if I came across as a bit dismissive. Not the case, just a bit thoughtless in my reply. Sorry BAR and Clarkie.......

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Have you ever heard of deck cargo?

Never thought of that. Too bad at any rate...

[22SqnRAE]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all. I'll avoid going sequentially through the list, but I am very appreciative for each and every personal contribution.

Peter, you certainly got around in the 60's! Australia and NZ. I guess that should provide some with a reference why your views and prolific articles are the prime references for matters Lee Enfield.

It's interesting to note the several "new" and "unfired (love that term)" rifles floating around in OZ of recent times, they are all marked with the NZ inventory numbers (Apparently Kiwis can't count high enough to use the Factory applied hundred thousand number formats! )

So the "unfired" and more importantly "unissued" statement is a myth, based on Peter's actual observations. This might upset a few motivated vendors seeking 'top dollar' on their rifles.

Now, an open question, does anyone have any thoughts on the rear sight model that NZ Army used? Was there a pattern of replacements from the Mk 2 (3/600 flip) to the Mk 3 or Mk 4? Or, even the Mk 1 at later stages? Or was it very much up to Unit armourers in the LAD that got around to improving rifles as they flowed through the workshop?

I'm not caught up in the collector rigidity, just interested to learn what you possibly already know.

Again, grateful for your contribution and hope that a few others are getting same value out of the sharing of knowledge.

[5thBatt]

I have heard some No4s were unpacked from the crates, inspected & stamped with N^Z & a inventory number & repacked & from what i have seen & heard (some people buying whole crates when surplussed out) this did indeed happen.

[mrclark303]

Have you ever heard of deck cargo? Have you ever seen deck cargo from across the Pacific? Grease and whatever else doesn't do much especially when they are left crated. Annanuvverfing. I was actually there......... Another small point is that while I was there I never saw a Mk1/2 or 1/3or 2. I asked our ordnance to supply the drawings for the conversion and still have them, copied and sent to me at Waiouru. The trouble is that I've had such a sheltered life. I need to get about a bit..............

Just read BAR's reply and my response and it sounded as if I came across as a bit dismissive. Not the case, just a bit thoughtless in my reply. Sorry BAR and Clarkie.......

Nothing to apologise for Peter, always interesting stuff...