Lithgow 1917 SMLE...HELP NEEDED

[mattyboy82]

The CMF is on these rifles stands for 'Commonwealth Military Forces'.

I too have a rifle with 3.A on the butt along with 10/44 (Which is a stores date and NOT a refurb date.

I've seen a few examples also with 3.A. I looked into it further and I'm of the opinion it stands for '3rd Australian Ordnance Depot'. I have a lot more info on this period and why we often see SMLEs with mid-1944 to early 1945 stores dates.

[Sapper740]

The CMF is on these rifles stands for 'Commonwealth Military Forces'.

I disagree. Mr. Skennerton lists CMF as Citizen Military Forces which was the term for Australian Army Reserves until 1980, I believe. Ian does note a CNF as Commonwealth Naval Forces, perhaps you're confusing the two. This can be found in his The Broad Arrow MkII book.

[bros]

The CMF is on these rifles stands for 'Commonwealth Military Forces'.

I too have a rifle with 3.A on the butt along with 10/44 (Which is a stores date and NOT a refurb date.

I've seen a few examples also with 3.A. I looked into it further and I'm of the opinion it stands for '3rd Australian Ordnance Depot'. I have a lot more info on this period and why we often see SMLEs with mid-1944 to early 1945 stores dates.

Thanks for that.

I have since learned that it is not a refurb date.

I have also found out that a second number located on the breech (just above the rifle serial number) which I thought was a FTR number is not but a unit rack number of some sort, that same number is also stamped on the right side of the butt.

Rifle serial number is not on the rear sight but is on the nose cap.