1980 dated L42A1

[Peter Laidler]

All L42's were converted at Enfield. The later ones were done to reinforce the dire shortage of stocks of L42's in Ordnance.

Re thread 19: It was while I was gathering the info on the whereabouts of the remaining loan-store No4's and T's (and No2 pistols and No2 revolvers while we were about it.....) that I learned of this dire shortage of L42's from WO Bill XXXX REME who was running the whole programme at the RSSD at Donnington. I was a Sgt, just prior to being Commissioned and we met up here in Abingdon one lunchtime and had a spot of lunch at 'The Broad Face' to swop figures and he went on to discuss movement arrangements of the stuff that didn't concern me. None of this stuff was rented or hired. It was all on loan and not even recorded anywhere except by local Polioce stations where it was stored! Which meant that if there was a better one than the one you owned, or a telescope was better or that you even wanted a spare telescope, bracket, tin etc etc etc, then a word in the right place meant that......... Anyway, you get my drift.

Having slept on this: Re thread '18, it'd be quite staggering - but not impossible of course - for a police 'armourer' to know more about the inspection and serviceability regime of the L42's loaned to him than that of Mr Cooper, known to all as 'Ivan the Terrible' the out inspector/weapons at the serviceability and out inspection bay at Donnington. Like I say, a staggering feat - but not impossible of course!

There......... Any of you with the stores inspection label on the end of your chest, certified as complete and up to standard, endorsed by I Cooper, that's him!