Lee Enfield New Zealand rack numbers

[Roy]

MrClark it looks like you may have a fell off the back of the lorry NZ rifle. maybe even lost during or immediately post WW1 when NZ forces were in Blighty . I see the barrel is a '16 too. does she have an I'd disc?

[ssj]

Hi,

the reply I have is,

"Good Afternoon.

xxxxx has passed your Enquiry to me regarding NZ marked Enfield Serial numbers.

Unfortunately there are no such records left. They were destroyed long ago by NZDF."

[mrclark303]

Don't see to many of the SMLEs here with the numbers, most seem to have been ground off (if they were there) for the sale mark.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...morefun3-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../01/SSA5-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/17BSA6-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1/18BSA6-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...9/18EFD4-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...rreldate-1.jpg

That's a fine collection of rifles... (I have been looking for other SMLE's with NZ makings and came up with nothing....than along they come like buses!! do they all belong to you, you lucky man!
Tell me, did NZ buy many No1's from Lithgow in WW1, or were the Enfield's and BSA's bought while in the European Theatre of operations?

I wonder how many survive with intact rack numbers today....I guess mine fell off the back of a lorry and never got taken home.

Curious thing is, it has no markings dating post WW1, so it escaped WW2 service !

---------- Post added at 12:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------

Hi,

the reply I have is,

"Good Afternoon.

xxxxx has passed your Enquiry to me regarding NZ marked Enfield Serial numbers.

Unfortunately there are no such records left. They were destroyed long ago by NZDF."

Many thanks indeed for looking into that for me, it really was very kind, looks like the infos lost forever then!

---------- Post added at 12:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 PM ----------

MrClark it looks like you may have a fell off the back of the lorry NZ rifle. maybe even lost during or immediately post WW1 when NZ forces were in Blighty . I see the barrel is a '16 too. does she have an I'd disc?

No ID disk on mine, shes a typical 1917 production example, she has the transitional forend with the volley sight "dish", the earlier magazine well with sling swivel provision and a wooden blank where the butt disk would normally be situated.

The nicest thing about this rifle is its a real time capsule, undisturbed since WW1 as far as I can tell.

[Roy]

I have never seen a rack or 'census' number on any NZ SMLE post 1914 all I have seen are ones with S>New Zealand Arms Register - Arms Register

By 1916-17 NZs supply of SMLE's was exhausted and reinforcements were leaving NZ unarmed and being armed from British supplies, which may have included SMLES shipped from Lithgow. I'd like to see a full photo set of the rifle. I'd say the i'd disk if it was marked was disposed of by whoever found themselves in possession of the rifle after the army had it. this was commonly done here in NZ, though I have never seen a pre 1918 NZ marked disc, i'd like to see one.

Your rifle has a '303' proof on the barrel? is that a military marking or a civilian one.

[Peter Laidler]

Why does anything that Roy writes seem to be barred through? Or is it my computer? Or is it that he used to run the R&I account at a REME workshop where it was forbidden to delete anything and only barring through was allowed! Just a thought

[5thBatt]

Why does anything that Roy writes seem to be barred through? Or is it my computer? Or is it that he used to run the R&I account at a REME workshop where it was forbidden to delete anything and only barring through was allowed! Just a thought

Not just you Peter, same on my computer & even worse on my cellphone with nearly all posts being barred through.

---------- Post added at 07:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:27 AM ----------

That's a fine collection of rifles... (I have been looking for other SMLE's with NZ makings and came up with nothing....than along they come like buses!! do they all belong to you, you lucky man!
Tell me, did NZ buy many No1's from Lithgow in WW1, or were the Enfield's and BSA's bought while in the European Theatre of operations?

I wonder how many survive with intact rack numbers today....I guess mine fell off the back of a lorry and never got taken home.

Curious thing is, it has no markings dating post WW1, so it escaped WW2 service !

---------- Post added at 12:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------



Many thanks indeed for looking into that for me, it really was very kind, looks like the infos lost forever then!

---------- Post added at 12:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 PM ----------



No ID disk on mine, shes a typical 1917 production example, she has the transitional forend with the volley sight "dish", the earlier magazine well with sling swivel provision and a wooden blank where the butt disk would normally be situated.

The nicest thing about this rifle is its a real time capsule, undisturbed since WW1 as far as I can tell.

The N^Z markings i posted are believed to be post WW1 markings & yes they are my rifles.
http://www.armsregister.com/arms_reg...smle_mkiii.PDF

[Roy]

Ive noticed that, and it seems to happen when I try to imitate the sold out of service mark. but it has been messing up my posts. during WW1 do you think the NZ army would have marked their rifles as soon as received i.e in England. or perhaps MrClarks rifle was lost during WW2. If a British arms recovery unit recovered a fallen rifle belonging to another allied country would it be returned to them or just 'go into the system'

[Peter Laidler]

Where Armies operated together the Ordnance supplies were usually pooled in any case. We had pooled weapons, ammunition and vehicles

[Roy]

So maybe during WW2 the rifle could have ended up in the British system. Another possibility anyway.

[mrclark303]

Well here she is, in all her glory, complete with correct wide piling swivel, Enfield marked brass oiler and pull through in butt and Cole Brothers 1916 dated sling.

As you can see the wooden butt blank appears to have been in suite for many years and exactly matches the original wood work (looks factory fitted to me).