Possible manufacturer of Canadian No.4 (T) cheekpieces

[Warren]

No.4Mk.1* (T) cheekpieces..

I received a small box of odds and ends from the storage sheds of Hill Clark Francis, New Liskeard, Ontario, CANADA a few years ago. The box was an accumulation of odds and ends and consisted mainly of odd bits of wood, some rusty hardware and two No.4 (T) cheekpieces: one finished and one unfinished. Both are unmarked and were in the condition that wood can be after sitting for 50 years in an unheated shed.. The pair were mouldy, weather-beaten and the unfinished cheekpiece was obviously a cull due to two major defects in the wood.

No markings could distinguished in either cheekpiece, but the interesting fact is that they both appear to be made by a company that has no record of making wood or furniture for the Lee Enfield Rifle. It is known that Hill Clark Francis (HCF) made crates for the No.4 sniper, Bren, the Browning machine gun (all types) and the No.7 rifle.

HCF is found on the end of the bottom wood on the No.4(T) and also on the No.7 (.22) rifle as well as Canadian Bren chests.

I've attached a couple of photo's of the pieces with (Left to right) no.1 is the finished, albeit dirty and mouldy cheekpiece, no.2 is the unfinished cheekpiece with the defects and no.3 being a new, unused Canadian marked cheekpiece. A British manufactured cheekpiece (no.4) is included for comparison.

The unused Canadian cheekpiece (no.3) has what appears to be a tiny C-broad arrow and another marking that looks like a wood proof found on the wrist of the butt stock, but I am unable to see it clearly to determine if there is a number as normally found on Canadian wood acceptance markings.

It appears that some manufacturing tool marks are common to all three of the Canadian cheekpieces.

While it appears that HCF possibly did make the cheekpieces, this is just a guess on my part, as I have been unable to find any official records or contract listings.
I am not able to determine what the wood is with my limited knowledge of wood.

Another puzzle in the Lee Enfield sniper saga.

Cheers,
Warren

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