Milsurp After Hours

Our clubs Enfield expert turned up at the range with this historic piece today. Its a Lee Metford MK1* dated 1890, with an extremely interesting history.

The rifle was issued to the 1st Suffolk Regiment, who were sent to South Africa in late 1899, armourers inspection marks for 1899 are visible on the butt socket, probably final inspection before embarkation.

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As the above pics show the Boer "cutomised" the stock after he captured it.

The Suffolk's first offensive of the Boer War was to take a position on what is now known as Suffolk Hill, the Regiment was instructed to climb the hill with bound boots so as to not to alert the Boers, this was the evening of the 5th January 1900 and the morning of 6th january 1900. When the English were within 40 yards of the top of the hill, the Boers opened fire killing 39 of the Suffolks and wounding or taking prisoner a further 99 soldiers. This rifle was captured by the Boers.

Butt disc with 1st Suffolks stamp.

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Stock cut down.

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Butt shows heavy marking from being carried slung, presumably on horseback.

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The Boer inverted the rear sight!

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JJ. K Reitz. The Boer owner? JJ and K from the town of Reitz? Anybody au fait with Boer War history, the present owner would like more information.

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The rifle was subsequently recaptured by the English later in the War, possibly by the Durham Light Infantry or the Northumberland Fusiliers, and has remained in military posession / storage until September 2005.

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wow! Neat rifle and all that history!

"...The rifle was subsequently recaptured by the English later in the War, ... and has remained in military posession / storage until September 2005..."

Wow, Somebody missed a trick there,

I'm sure the Royal Anglians' (or whatever the Army are calling them this week) Regimental Museum would have ripped the storeman's arm off to get a piece with a history like that.

Colour me bright green

Tom

Nothing like a rifle that has changed hands between enemies for historical interest.

Anybody have any idea why the sight was inverted? What do you suppose it would have done for the minimum range it could be sighted for?

Why do the distance marks look to be going in the right direction even though the sight was turned around?

The only part of the sight which has been inverted is the slider---the notch should be on the upper side, so it can be used with the long range ladder.

-----krinko

Shows you what I know about Lee Metford rifles. Didn't seem like the sight notch should be on the muzzle end of the sight.

The notch part of the sight is correct---the pattern with the notch on the forward end of the ladder was carried over from the Martini.

The little cross-piece towards the bottom, the one that's slightly better blue, that's the one bit that is on upside-down.

-----krinko

I can see that. It brings me back to the question of why would they make an adustment like this to the sight? With the slider upside down it is clearly no longer useful for long distance fire. Maybe it was just to make the soldier not waste any ammo on such an exercise?

Joe, Given the heart shaped outline, my guess is a romantic link between JJ and K Rett...I have no idea what a smaller Z would define as all else seems well laid out.

As for the back-sight...I think someone just didn't like the multiple leaves for what may've been short range usage, primarily.

Butt-stock damage could be from the rifle being carried in an ill fitting scabbard. Looks (to me) as it's compression damage.

Many words for mere speculation, eh?

Regards, Brad

The stock "customisation" looks pretty pointless - why remove the cap and a bit of forend, just to wire it up? I wonder if it was actually battle-damaged: either shot away or a severe force onto the fitted bayonet - jamming it into a rock or suchlike...