Use of the L42 in the Falklands Conflict

[DanL96a1]

Gil
Is there any mention of the L42A1’s on the MOD ledger, which are now at the bottom of the Atlantic? Having been hit by Argi aircraft attacks.

[Gil Boyd]

As you know a few of us on here have the lists as they arrived at Donnington and a few comments written down besides but thats it.

[mrclark303]

Fastback very interesting bit of history and a rare find, it would be very helpful if it’s possible of course, to get a photograph of the front of the bracket (the flat side); which hopefully will have a rifle serial number. If you could obtain a clearer, picture of the scope and it’s serial number, that would be fantastic!

There are many here that might be able to find out about its history, which would add to the story. It would be fascinating if we could detect which Regiment it originally came from?

It was standard procedure to try to destroy the rifle and telescope, if captured or about to be over run. It looks as though it’s possible that this was attempted with the deflection drum being removed, and the bracket being the wrong way round. The damage to the Ocular lens is signs that it was (used as a hammer) before being ditched.

Second that, it would be fascinating to find more information regarding the scope.

On a wider point regarding the war, had the British government not let it be known publicly that the regular Royal Navy SSN patrol in the South Atlantic was being curtailed, then the invasion would probably have never happened and a lot of young lives on both sides wouldn't have been lost.

[Surpmil]

The truth seems a little funny to me, since even after 38 years, some are affected by the Falklands conflict trying to minimize a reality, something as small as the appearance of a scope of l42 in search of excuses and doubts I don't see any shame that we have a scope, in fact we both lost much more valuable things in the conflict. Argentines assumed that the operation was crazy, since only the occupation of April 2 was planned and there was no preparation for a war with Great Britain, but the participation of the UN was wanted, clearly somewhat naive. But it seems that the English do not accept that a third world country, without a battle plan without planning and destined for failure since there was no air superiority or naval access) has caused them so much damage (they can check the list of sunken and touched ships they would have ended up underwater if the old-fashioned bombs had worked) the reality is that, just like us, due to the inoperative junta couldn't win because we dont have plan or resoruses, looking at their losses in the war with a 3 world country England would not have had the slightest chance against the Warsaw pact if a war starts at this time in europe. It would be nice if we put aside the emotional factors to stop questioning the facts and focus on studying the l42 scope held by the veteran and knowing his history ...
I hope soon to have an answer from who was there (which is worth more than any conjecture of people who were not)

Perhaps you're getting an incorrect impression of the responses here?

It is clearly an L1A1 and was clearly deliberately damaged before being either surrendered or dumped somewhere, which presumably means it must have been part of the equipment of the original garrisons, either on the Falklands or South Georgia.

If you find more information that will no doubt be welcomed by those who have a particular interest in that war.

[Roger Payne]

I'm still trying to figure out what they did to the anti-rotation peg (4BA grub screw, essentially) to get the scope into the bracket backwards! Probably cut it off......

[Surpmil]

I'm still trying to figure out what they did to the anti-rotation peg (4BA grub screw, essentially) to get the scope into the bracket backwards! Probably cut it off......

Good point! Set the scope in the bracket and strike on a hard surface until the pin shears off?

[Roy W]

I'm still trying to figure out what they did to the anti-rotation peg (4BA grub screw, essentially) to get the scope into the bracket backwards! Probably cut it off......

I think it is sitting underneath the bottom ring. The rear ring is a different profile so maybe it's possible that way round.

You can just make it our I think.

[Nigel]

As you know a few of us on here have the lists as they arrived at Donnington and a few comments written down besides but thats it.

Gill
Save me a copy of your book when it is published.
Nige

[Roger Payne]

You've got better eyesight than me Roy!

[waco16]

I think its highly unlikely that the scope was removed from its bracket and replaced back to front in an attempt to render it useless
If the story is true, surely its far more likely that the user removed it from its bracket, discarding it and its caps away from the scope, followed by bashing the scope against a surface to try and render it useless
This seems to follow standard destruction drill

Does it not seem reasonable that who ever recovered the component parts (not knowing any better) resembled them incorrectly?