Lee Enfield New Zealand rack numbers

[mrclark303]

Morning all,

Never considered asking this question before, but can any information be unpicked from the NZ service rack number, date acquired, unit, base etc?

I have a NZ stamped, rack numbered Enfield 1917 dated No1 Mk3*, the old girl is all original and gauges .305, but she still shoots well considering she's 98 years old....this old girl still has her teeth!

Shot in the dark, but I just wondered ??

Information

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[Roy]

Where is she rack numbered? I've seen rack and procurement dates on pre WW1 rifles but never on a late WW1 Enfields, Just the N^Z ownership mark. Got any pics?

But as to the question, as far as I know, only from the butt ID disc can you get any info on the rifles (or at least the rifles butt) history.

[mrclark303]

Hi Roy,

I will get the rifle out and photograph it when I get the chance, the NZ ownership stamp is on the left of the receiver ring and the rack number is stamped vertically down the centre of the receiver ring in parallel with the bolt

[Roy]

Interesting. the NZ mark is usually there together with a NZ on the Nocks form. often there is a S>

[ssj]

I have asked NZ army archives if there is any such info.

[Roy]

Seems my last post is a bit messed up. the NZ army was pretty good at S>Peter Laidler mentioning something of the NZ army records of weapons sent overseas in WW2 being in existence at Ngarauwahia when he was there. I'd say they are destroyed now.

[mrclark303]

Morning chaps, well here she is, more markings than you could shake a stick at!

rack number S21061

[Peter Laidler]

We had a large mix of the odd No1's, loads of No4's and L1A1 rifles while I was in NZ and some (but not all by any means) of the No4's had what we called 'census numbers' on them in addition to the factory numbers. But as I recall, the serial number was always the accountable number.

[ssj]

"I'd say they are destroyed now. " 15 years ago I worked on some of the military camps and at one stage found that their records/documents had simply been dumped en-mass into some storage no way to know what was where. It is possible it still exists but it would be a life's work to sort it. I also seem to recall they might have had a bit of a fire which destroyed some of it. I have asked the army museum anyway on the off chance.

In terms of marking, NZ army guns seem to have had a unique number stamped on, maybe its historic 'do it as my dad did it' as even the old stuff (pre-WW1) appears to have all been numbered. PL says not all, which is interesting, there certainly is a mix of no4s with (seem mostly) and without, Id assumed they were imported as surplus as the 303brit was used heavily here for hunting and target shooting as it was cheap.

[5thBatt]

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.