The program called for rebuilt M1s to be sent, including WRA and rebuilt former Gas Traps, with only a small percentage of new SA production (3% IIRC). In practice, it turned out to be easier to just ship new guns from SA and so most LLs were new. A verifiable LL rebuild is scarce.
The problem we have is that it's hard to tell an LL rebuild from a regular rebuild unless it is marked in the barrel date area as IMO Sam Cummings specified on the original lot. Of course, it is much harder to mark there than simply on top of the barrel, but he knew collectors would hate the proofs and wanted them in as inconspicuous location as possible.
Interarms was unwilling to provide any information on the imports, despite what I thought was heavy pressure from my end about 1979. I got a response from John Ring, the Sales Manager saying, "You know as much about the arms business as I know about the stock market." LOL
The key questions we still want to know are:
(a) How many did Interarms import?
(b) Did they get them all in that first lot or were there subsequent buys of Lend Lease M1s?
(c) How many were SA new production?
Our records say we sent 38,001 M1s (unconfirmed lore always said another 50,000 were sent but the ship was torpedoed on the way over). Most were stored unused, but not all of them. Unconfirmed reports say some were issued to airfield guards. There are records that say the Commandos loved them and took 1,000. We assume the rest were warehoused in new condition and these are what Cummings bought. Were there other lots after that first one?
I've been following along since my initial captain obvious post. Now I'm confused. I thought lend/lease rifles were issued to many different countries? Are you all saying the program only included Great Britain? And that all the other Garands coming back from other countries were from other programs?
My guess would be that Bob knows all the details, and will chime in with a reference to a past GCA article summarizing all the different ways or programs Garands migrated all over the world. If it hasn't been written yet, such an article should be.
The third I've not seen before, and from the US field jacket and water bottle, it's probably the same as the first two; 41 Cmdo in Korea, which was entirely outfitted with American weapons and equipment as it was operating with the 1st US Marine Divn. The weapons were issued from US ordnance stocks at Camp Mackall, Yokosuka, Japan.