A real piece of history

[Lithy]

After exhausting my google fu I have found out that 2582 Trooper RH Shirley didn't have a long visit to South Africa.

He embarked in Sydney on March 15 1901 as a re enforcement, posted to the 3rd New South Wales Imperial Bushmen when that unit was raised on May 4 1901 and was repatriated home February 6 1902.

The bit that has me confused is from what I can gather is they embarked without arms and yet "MARCH 1901" is carved into the LH side of the butt of the rifle.

Taking into account time taken to sail from Sydney to South Africa, it is unlikely he was issued his rifle in March.

Information

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[RobD]

Carved Boer War rifles are quite abundant, and have been documented in 3 volumes of "Carvings from the Veldt" by Dave George, who lives in Australia. The original trend for carving started among the Boers. They owned their kit, and named it to prevent it getting mixed up or swiped. Soon the names and carvings became very elaborate, and the practice was encouraged by Gen. Louis Botha, who holds his densely carved Boer Mauser carbine in photos from Natal taken in Dec 1899. Australians began to mimic the practice on the troop ships home. It's very unusual to find a British or Canadian rifle carved, though Australian and NZ ones are well known. Among Boer rifles it is possible to recognise certain hands who were expert carvers and did several rifles in the same style. What I like about carved Boer rifles is that they sometimes enable the owner to be identified, and can be matched to their service record or medal.

[Buccaneer]

After exhausting my google fu I have found out that 2582 Trooper RH Shirley didn't have a long visit to South Africa.

He embarked in Sydney on March 15 1901 as a re enforcement, posted to the 3rd New South Wales Imperial Bushmen when that unit was raised on May 4 1901 and was repatriated home February 6 1902.

The bit that has me confused is from what I can gather is they embarked without arms and yet "MARCH 1901" is carved into the LH side of the butt of the rifle.

Taking into account time taken to sail from Sydney to South Africa, it is unlikely he was issued his rifle in March.

I think you might have found our man, as I said in my opening post the two sides appear to had been done by two separate people so it is quite possible that Trooper 2582 RH Shirley was given this rifle when he arrived in South Africa when it had already been inscribed with March 1901 before he got it. Of course there is no guarantee that the rifle left South Africa when he did so the damage caused to it could had occurred when not in his possession.
Looking at the damage and where it has occurred if some was actually holding the rifle when it was hit I doubt if they could have survived especially if it was being held in the shoulder.