Looking for WWI-era soldier experiences/thoughts on the SMLE rifles

[Paul S.]

I would gave thought the Imperial War Museum would have been your first port of call.

Imperial War Museum

Likewise, the Australian War Memorial has an archive that is truly amazing.

[browningautorifle]

I remember reading an extract from my regimental history in WW1 that spoke of a man that was knocked out during a shelling. He said "When I awoke, I crawled around until I found a rifle that worked, used it until it broke and then hunted another"... My question is what broke? How did THAT happen? It didn't say...just broken.

[muffett.2008]

Likewise, the Australian War Memorial has an archive that is truly amazing.

Not really, there is a fair bit of nonsense involved in searching their database.
The National Archives and Trove are the most user friendly of the research sites in OZ.
The reference and search I indicated on Trove exposes over 2.25 million articles, most with multiple stories.
If the OP is serious, this is where he should start...........but then, I suppose I'm just wasting my breathe as usual.

[Colonel Enfield]

If the OP is serious, this is where he should start...........but then, I suppose I'm just wasting my breathe as usual.

I assure you you're not. I'd already tried the AWM site without much luck, and I'd also tried Papers Past and come up short. Trove wasn't working very well when I tried searching it but I'll have another go at it.

[30Three]

The biography of Harry Patch has some interesting info about the SMLE's in the trenches. For example: one of Harry's pass times, sticking a piece of cheese on the end of you bayonet; and when a rat starts nibbling it; pull the trigger!

[30Three]

Apologies Gent's! Just realised an error in my previous post!

The book is "Harry's War" the war diary of Harry Drinkwater. He is one of the few diarists to have continued writing for the complete 1914/18 conflict. (it was an offence to keep a diary). It is a window into the past. Well worth the read.

Harry Patch's biography "The last fighting Tommy" spans his whole 113 years; so not so much info of the SMLE, (but still interesting.

[browningautorifle]

sticking a piece of cheese on the end of you bayonet; and when a rat starts nibbling it; pull the trigger!

Imagine trying to get some rack in a bunker and this going on? Mind you, I've seen the troops do some pretty strange things too...

[Paul S.]

Imagine trying to get some rack in a bunker and this going on? Mind you, I've seen the troops do some pretty strange things too...

I knew one with a particular dislike for rats who rigged up a trap for the buggers with the nerve gas Atropine injector out of a gas mask bag.

[browningautorifle]

the nerve gas Atropine injector

That would be the spring loaded self discharging one...nice...

[can14&]

11 month 11day 11 hour by Joseph e persico, good ww1 book. Includes everybody