Lee Enfields in Israel

[Father Ted]

Were any Enfields given to Israel at any point in time? If so what type of property stamps would they have? I have an Smle with unit disc marked 589 over IDF (I posted it here a while back and I've yet to discover what it translates to and of course any Internet search of that abbreviations only brings up the Israeli Defense Force)
If Enfields were given to them would they have been converted to 7.62?
Cheers

Information

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[Albayo]

I doubt they would convert the Enfields. They did convert lots of the Mauser's to 7.62 as second line weapons when they switched to the FN FAL.
They sold as surplus MGs like the MG42s and 34s that couldn't be converted.
They even sold off Stens when the UZI came into service.

[jonnyc]

Israel had lots of Enfields through the 40s and 50s, and as far as I know they were never converted. I lived there through the 1980s, was in the IDF, and ran an armory, but I don't recall ever seeing an Enfield the entire time.

[Father Ted]

Israel had lots of Enfields through the 40s and 50s, and as far as I know they were never converted. I lived there through the 1980s, was in the IDF, and ran an armory, but I don't recall ever seeing an Enfield the entire time.

Did they mark rifles with IDF property stamp? This one must be some type of unit or rack I.d. as it still retains mk3 configuration, no factory repairs or markings dated past ww1, and still retains its original 1914 barrel (which is dog tired to say the least). Maybe one day I'll decipher it.
Cheers

[Peter Laidler]

I dare say that they 'liberated' one or two Enfields - as they did Centurion tanks - from those rascalls who, unwisely as it later transpired, decided to invade in 1948 and then again, even MORE unwisely, in 1967

[browningautorifle]

I dare say that they 'liberated' one or two Enfields - as they did Centurion tanks

Peter, the Centurions came from Camp Wainwright Alberta. They were all parked there in various conditions from fit to scrap until one day they all loaded on flat cars and left. We later found out from men that were on UN duty in Golan-Ismalia-Egypt that the tanks had arrived in their location. There they received M60 tank engines and 105mm gun replacement.

[Brit plumber]

They nicked some Cromwells. Just shows that EVERYTHING has to be bolted down and even then its not safe.

[Mk VII]

A number were acquired in 1948 and some were squirrelled away earlier, plus captures from the various Arab armies who had received British weapons but Britain did not supply firearms to the new state of Israel.

[jonnyc]

Not officially, but as I understand the situation, most local/area commanders tended to side with either the Arabs or Jews, and when they left they made sure that "their" side got the local armory.

[Peter Laidler]

JonnyC is right there. Many of the British QM's leaving Palestine in '48 were sympathetic to what was going to be the fate of the nation after they left (wrongly as it transpired......) and diverted, or............ Anyway, if anyone cares to read the Sten gun book (Coillector Grade publications) you'll read of vast amount of kit siphoned off by sympatheyic QM';s and how the trials of several of these 'guilty' but by now wealthy men collapsed afterwards