Rifles
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Part 5
Image Collection 4
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Gavin K. Watt
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This section includes images of rifles other than the standard issue No.4 MkI Lee Enfield.
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Sources:
Clive M. Law, Without Warning – Canadian Sniper Equipment in the 20th Century (Ottawa: Service Publications, 2004)
Edward Clinton Ezell & W.H.B. Smith, Small Arms of the World (Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 11th Revised edition, 1977)
1. Troops in Battle Order webbing scramble over an obstacle. The rifleman has slung a bayoneted No.1 MkIII* Lee Enfield and the light machine gunner, a MkI Bren, Camp Borden, 04Nov41. The No.1 MkIII was taken ashore by 2CID regiments at Dieppe, but by the time 5CAD was in action in Italy, that variant had been withdrawn from service.
(LAC, PA177349)
2. This soldier carries a British-designed, American-manufactured, M1917 (P-17) Rifle of the Great War with bayonet fixed. Note, the two notches on the bayonet’s wooden grip, indicating it was specifically fitted to the M1917 Rifle. A red painted band around the rifle’s stock is visible above the soldier’s right shoulder, which, at a glance, differentiates this limited-standard, Lend-Lease rifle as a .30 cal. U.S. M1917 from its look-alike .303 cal. No.3 MkI (P-14) rifle. Ottawa, 24Jun43.
(LAC, PA208580)
3. The British-designed, American-manufactured P-14 was a limited standard rifle in the British Army during the Great War and saw widespread use early in the Second. As it was especially accurate, it was adopted as a sniper rifle during the Great War and mounted a Pattern 1918 telescope. Between the wars, the P-14 was re-designated the No.3 Rifle. The No.3 MkI*T was used in the first four years of the Second War as the standard sniper rifle, often with the Pattern 1918 scope. Another version mounting an Aldis offset scope was designated the No.3, MkI*T(A). An Aldis scope appears in this image of sniper training in England, Apr42.
(LAC, PA213632)
4.Near Orsogna, Italy on 29Jan44, Perth Regiment sniper Jack (Ace) Bailey of Stratford poses in a loft with his No.3 MkI*T mounting the unpopular American Great War Warner-Swazey scope, which had been once again pressed into service.
(LAC, PA130610)
5. When 13th Cdn Infantry Brigade participated in the 1943 Kiska Island landing in the Alaskan Aleutians’ chain, those men, who would have been armed with Machine Carbines or Revolvers, drew U.S. M-1 Car-bines. This occasion marked the only official use of Carbines by the Canadian Army (other than the First Special Service Force (FSSF) which employed the M-1A1 airborne version.) This soldier carries his Carbine slung over his right shoulder. The firearm’s stock can be seen mounting a ‘sleeve’-type pouch for two 15-round magazines.
(LAC, PA179410)
6. A rare photograph of rifle ammunition being distributed, in this instance by members of 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, 6th British Airborne Division. Of interest, one trooper carries a No.1 MkIII* Rifle, confirming that 1CanPara allowed its men considerable latitude in the choice of personal arms. Germany, Jan44
(LAC, PA179149)
7. Infantrymen using their Lee Enfield rifles fitted with Mark II bayonets to probe soil during a rather dubious mine-clearing drill at a 1CID training exercise, England, April43.
(LAC, PA211638)