Do you have a 1950 Long Branch?

[Peter Laidler]

The question of LB rifles with British parts and British rifles with LB parts is easily explianed due to the fact that in Korea and certainly to my knowledge in Germany, UK and Canadian Ordnance, including ammunition stockpiles were pooled. As a result No4 rifles, Brens etc weaponry would be sent out regardless of unit from the centralised pooled storage facility at HAMM. In the days of the L1A1 it didn't seem to happen as much but you would often see XXL Canadian L1A1 rifles in the UK system. Certainly, we had a list of interchangeable Sterling SMG parts that came from UK stocks

The main Base Workshop was at Wetter and there were Canadian and Brit Armourers there, all doing the same job and working happily alongside each other. In fact one Canadian REME Armourer named 'Elmer' Brown (his dad was a Major in the PPCLI as I seem to remember) married an English girl.

The same happened in Malaya and elsewhere in that theatre with L1A1's where stocks were issued from pooled stores so whether you had an AD610- or a UE61A rifle was a matter of luck. We knew when NZ Sterling SMG's were issued because they had odd serial numbers commencing NZ! Unluckily for the Kiwis, they got issued with some of the rubbish UF59A Fazakerley guns!

Sorry to ramble on a bit but just a few thoughts about....er,..... what was it now?