An Old Warrior and a little Surprise

[krinko]

I was doing a detail strip and clean on this 1941 Dispersal rifle Thursday-last, when I made an interesting discovery.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 123658.jpg[/pic]

While working the buttstock, I looked closely at what appeared to be a small patch of Beechwood "ray" pattern and it turned out to be something else altogether.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 123668.jpg[/pic]

It's not nearly as visible in real life---the Powershot picks up detail the eye misses. The marks are small enough to be missed by the RSM's eye, actually...I had the rifle for two years before I found them.

Of course, we don't know what the man was counting---maybe there were twenty-six mosquitos inside his netting one night?

More photos of the rifle coming as soon as the camera recharges.

-----krinko

[DuncaninFrance]

Looks to me as though they were made with one stroke and not a sawing motion but why - I have no idea! Would be interesting if it were 'notches on the gun' so to speak. Don't suppose you have a history of it's issue unit(s)

[brewstop]

Interesting find, Krinko. Highly unusual to find a disfigured stock on a British service rifle, although evidently the Aussies were a little more lax...

I'd be surprised if it were actually listing "kills": I don't think individual riflemen (less for snipers) on the whole had opportunity for numerous aimed kill-shots - individual accounts tend to mention maybe a handful during their entire war. A rifleman tally of 26 would indicate either a heck of a lot of battles, or circumstances where a fair old slaughter was possible.

Its possibly something more prosaic like the time-honoured "chuff chart", most commonly encountered when a soldier is recording "days to do", usually until the end of a tour or other onerous duty. perhaps this was the days/ weeks until demob, or until the troopship turned up?

Another possibility - since the marks appear to have been done with the same instrument on just one occasion - is another common Army duty: counting things. Could be a tally of arty shells, ration packs or blankets - and he just didn't have a pencil to hand....

[Woftam]

Whatever he was counting it would be an awkward hold on the rifle to put the marks where they are.

[krinko]

The camera's battery pack is going out---so photos are few. Did manage to get this shot of the port side.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 564122.jpg[/pic]

Duncan,

No clue as to service history. It carries Birmingham commercial proofs and no US import mark----no handy "Map Of Imphal", or "Tobruk On 5 Piastres A Day" tucked into the butttrap.

Buttplate screw slots were dinged shut, so I got out the slot file to open them up---lots of verdigris under the plate.

Anyway, the screws nearly ruined my $12, #5 slot file.

They and the rear swivel screws are made from some hard white metal---if it's steel, it doesn't rust when it gets wet.

Here's another '41, this time a MkIII that came with a cutoff installed.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 564113.jpg[/pic]

This one sports all Walnut furniture.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 564127.jpg[/pic]

The MkIII and III* together.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 564119.jpg[/pic]

The MkIII does not have the British commercial proofs and carries no import mark, either. Got it out of Oglala, Nebraska---of all places.

It is marked on the butt like this:

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 570175.jpg[/pic]

Buttsocket 1941 MkIII-

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 570193.jpg[/pic]

Buttsocket 1941 MkIII*-

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 570896.jpg[/pic]

And in case you have only seen the photo in the LES, the buttsocket of a 1944 MkIII*-

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL165/11 ... 570179.jpg[/pic]

-----krinko

[DuncaninFrance]

Well K, the only thing I can throw in is I think the 'author' was a right handed person and was certainly counting in 5's Not a lot of help am I ?!