Buttstock disc ID (Help)

[rkidcj]

Hi,
I’m having problems in decoding the butt stock stamped on my 1918 Lee Enfield No1 Mk3. I believe that the gun has come from Africa due to the markings on the receiver.
The markings stamped on the disc are: -

2.BN.R&HB.
919

2nd Battalion?????

Any help gratefully received.

Thanks Chris

Information

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[Badger]

I just took a quick scan through Skennerton's "The Broad Arrow" and I couldn't find any R&HB marking for units under South Africa, or for that matter, any other country.

Here's a site provided by Amatikulu with some good information to bookmark for the future. I can't find that unit identifier there either.

Lee Enfield Rifle Markings (click here)

Regards,
Badger

[rkidcj]

Thanks Badger,

I'll drop that in my favorites.

still thinking-

2nd Battallion, Rifle & Horse Brigade ?????

Cheers Chris

[Terry Hawker]

rkidcj,

You are corrrect in your thought that this is probably a South African unit. I have a number of South African marking discs that came in with the South African spares that arrived in the US in the early 1990's. Several are stamped "3 R.H.B.", which I was informed at the time by a collector in South Africa, (sorry gents, my CRS prevents me from remembering which one of you it was), stands for "3RD RAILWAYS & HARBOUR BRIGADE". Stands to reason that yours may be the "2ND RAILWAYS & HARBOUR BRIGADE".

Regards,

Terry

[Terrylee]

South African.

RAILWAYS AND HARBOUR BRIGADE: An Active Citizen Force corps formed from the personnel from the two departments. In 1922 consisted of two battalions of infantry. Operated two armoured trains. In 1940 the establishment was much increased, and many of the Brigade volunteered for the South African Tank Corps. The badge is a winged wheel under a crown, with the title "Semper Paratus" below.

Page 148, The Armed Forces of South Africa, by G. Tylden.