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Sht LE .303 dated 1909 searching to repatriate with owner/descendants.
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05-22-2017 06:47 AM
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I have a funny feeling that the extra numbers stamped above the crown (photo 3) are indicative of it being impressed into military service for the war. I think that Thunderbox knows about these marks. Interesting project.
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Thanks Peter for that rapid response. All info helps, I can locate the various regiments that served in the area to narrow him down with that knowledge.
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I'd be surprised if such personalisation of the stock disc would be tolerated in service.
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Interesting too is the amount of sanding the stock has had. The area around the disc is rounded and the forend is Beech with typical fish scale pattern. The edges of wood at the metal have been rounded too... Perhaps as suggested, it's been owned for time and them pressed back into service during the emergency, when the call for "Guns of all types, anything that shoots" came. What's on the other side of the disc?
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Agreed. The fore end is a replacement & the wood has been sanded. Is the original poster able to press the chap who acquired it for any more information on the rifle's history? Can we establish that it has been in France since the fall in 1940? I know beech woodwork became commonly used during WW2, but was it in general use in 1939/40? I'm not sure off the top of my head, but would have thought that most rifles would have had walnut replacement parts fitted at that stage. Just a thought.....
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The marking on the butt socket looks like NZ markings, rack/inventory number over year accepted into NZ service, is there N^Z above the numbers?
http://www.armsregister.com/arms_reg...smle_mkiii.PDF
Last edited by 5thBatt; 05-22-2017 at 04:10 PM.
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Thank You to 5thBatt For This Useful Post:
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Thanks for all of the replies. I shall try and get more information about its origins. It was a field find as far as I'm aware, he most likely has cleaned it up himself perhaps?
I'll see what I can find out. Would be nice to reunite the family with the rifle though.
He just respects the fact that the British came over here and at such great cost.
+ I'm amazed at your level of knowledge.
Thanks again.
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Good. Please do keep us informed if you manage to find out any more.
Incidentally, I spend several months of the year about 17 miles to the South of you (Martinpuich) & on a nice sunny day greatly enjoy watching the world go by over a coffee at one of the numerous restaurants on the Place des Héros.
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Definitely looks like a NZ acceptance numbers, As someone has said anything can happen with an Enfield. Definitely an interesting rifle.
Keep Calm
and
Fix Bayonets
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