Devils Own Posted 27 March , 2006 Share Posted 27 March , 2006 Here's another rifle related question. I don't know how much truth there is in it, as I have the information second hand via my mother. My GF was in the Connaught Rangers and my mum reckons that he was of the opinion that the regular battalions were amalgamated and sent out of Europe because the authorities did not want Rangers returning to Ireland with their rifles which may have fallen into the hands of republicans. My question is whether soldiers would ever take their rifles home on leave at all or would they have been deposited with the armourer for maintainance etc? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 27 March , 2006 Share Posted 27 March , 2006 Be interested in the answer to this myself - I thought that the soldiers took their rifles with them when they went home on leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manchester terrier Posted 27 March , 2006 Share Posted 27 March , 2006 Don't know about rifles in WW1, but my dad was a marine in WW2 stationed at Plymouth. He told us a couple of stories about going home on leave with his rifle. Once he got off the bus near home and walked down the road, only to remeber he'd left his rifle in the cubby hole under the stairs where the conductor had put it and had to run after the bus to retrieve it. Another time he went up stairs on the bus, got to the top at which point there was a terrific clang. He looked down stairs, couldnt see anything, looked forwards to see everybody looking at him, looked upwards and realised he'd banged his rifle into the roof of the bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 27 March , 2006 Share Posted 27 March , 2006 Evening all. I believe they took them home with them on leave,as they were a kind of personal responsibility. I have seen many photos,over the years,of soldiers of WW1 on leave with their rifles on their shoulders,and i believe the odd few were kept at home after the war as well,and converted for personal use,such as shotguns and the like. I always remember my Grandad saying that he was a little surprised,when he first started courting my Nan,that her Dad had a Lewis Gun mounted on the Kitchen wall(!!!).,and a pair of German Sawback bayonets mounted with a Picklehaube helmet,in the living room. Oh!,how times have changed. You wouldn't get away with it now. All the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lassuy Posted 27 March , 2006 Share Posted 27 March , 2006 Sounds like my kind of decor---if only my wife would let me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 27 March , 2006 Share Posted 27 March , 2006 From the Canadian Archives site, one can look at these Instructions for Officers and Men Proceeding on Leave. It is with the June, 1916 War Diary of the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion. Sure enough, the first point is "Rifles will be taken but no ammunition.". Perhaps today one might think this strange, but there it is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themonsstar Posted 27 March , 2006 Share Posted 27 March , 2006 Hi All In my Kids bedroom we still have the Rifle stand for the 303. This is the 3 house with this in, a lot of the old military house's still have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Own Posted 28 March , 2006 Author Share Posted 28 March , 2006 Some great stories and information there. Its quite interesting to consider these basic and practical issues. I wonder how many children were instructed on the workings of the SMLE when their dad's took them home. So then, this presents the question as to whether from 1916 onwards, the Irish regiments were prevented from taking their rifles home? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 28 March , 2006 Share Posted 28 March , 2006 Swiss Army Reservists are, by law, required to keep their personal weapons at home. Burglary and robbery are very rare! Surprise surprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 31 March , 2006 Share Posted 31 March , 2006 I went on an Armourer's course with the Cadets in (IIRC) 1967. I was required to bring a rifle and the only canvas cases were for the shooting team rifles. So I went across London on the tube, then on British Rail to Salisbury or thereabouts with a No.4 rifle slung from my shoulder. Not a comment was passed, nor an eyebrow raised.... Which leads me to think that folk memory of people in uniform carrying rifles about was still pretty strong. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 31 March , 2006 Share Posted 31 March , 2006 I went on an Armourer's course with the Cadets in (IIRC) 1967. I was required to bring a rifle and the only canvas cases were for the shooting team rifles. So I went across London on the tube, then on British Rail to Salisbury or thereabouts with a No.4 rifle slung from my shoulder. Not a comment was passed, nor an eyebrow raised.... Which leads me to think that folk memory of people in uniform carrying rifles about was still pretty strong. Regards, MikB From the years I spent in London, you could have carried anything you liked. As long as you took your turn in the queue and didn't raise your voice you would have been invisible. Minding your own business has been raised to an art form in the Smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 31 March , 2006 Share Posted 31 March , 2006 Bringing this topic to the top to see if anyone can answer Steve's interesting question regarding Ireland Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Holscher Posted 1 April , 2006 Share Posted 1 April , 2006 From the Canadian Archives site, one can look at these Instructions for Officers and Men Proceeding on Leave. It is with the June, 1916 War Diary of the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion. Sure enough, the first point is "Rifles will be taken but no ammunition.". Perhaps today one might think this strange, but there it is! While well outside of this time frame, I can recall an uncle of mine telling of going on leave while stationed in Germany in the late 50s and taking his rifle with him. I think this may have been due to some heightened alertness status going on, but he definately recalled travelling on a German train while on leave with his rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnie Posted 6 April , 2006 Share Posted 6 April , 2006 My question is whether soldiers would ever take their rifles home on leave at all or would they have been deposited with the armourer for maintainance etc? Steve Hi steve My father told me on a number of occaisions ( usually with drink in him) that my Grandad came home on leave in Full service marching order complete with rifle and steel helmet and still covered in the mud from France. The reason that they brought their fighting order was simply that they could be called back in an emergency and if neccessary sent to a completely different unit has happend in 1918. I was led to believe they also had ten rounds Wounded men were not sent home with either their fighting equipment or their rifle. The practice continued in WW2 Arnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 7 April , 2006 Share Posted 7 April , 2006 Steve, There are quite detailed orders from the BEF concerning rifles and what to do with them when going on leave. These are found in the Adjutant Generals Routine Orders. Troops going on leave to the UK were to take their rifles with them minus ammunition. No prohibition for Ireland. This was from the BEF--Don't know if any other orders existed for troops going to Ireland as issued by the Home Commands. I doubt there was a prohibition. If there had been the BEF would have posted them in orders for the units to retain or special instructions to turn them at specific points before shipping to Ireland. The BEF did issue instructions for troops taking leave and remaining in France and Italy. Rifles were to be retained by the units. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 30 January , 2007 Share Posted 30 January , 2007 Bringing this topic to the top to see if anyone can answer Steve's interesting question regarding Ireland Mick Please see Post 7. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...mp;#entry610299 Additionaly, the Irish soldier in question was a member of the Connaught Rangers, home on leave. Kevin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Own Posted 31 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 31 January , 2007 Hi Kevin He must have been from the 6th Bn. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 31 January , 2007 Share Posted 31 January , 2007 The reason that they brought their fighting order was simply that they could be called back in an emergency and if neccessary sent to a completely different unit has happend in 1918. I was led to believe they also had ten rounds The practice continued in WW2 Arnie It did continue in WW2. In the event of a German invasion the soldiers were expected to report to their local police station, with their rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 31 January , 2007 Share Posted 31 January , 2007 Hi Kevin He must have been from the 6th Bn. Steve Hallo Steve, A little off topic I know, while there is a great possibility he was with the 6th Battalion, Connaught Rangers, it all depends on when and where he joined up. His name was Private James Ralph of Peter Street, Westport, County Mayo, his father who was dead in 1917 apparently had served in the British Army as well, he had at one time 3 brothers serving in the British Army in WW1, one of whom was wounded and discharged with a military pension. Kevin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Own Posted 1 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 1 February , 2007 Hi Kevin I suppose so. I was assuming that he had already been sent to a Bn other than the reserves as he was home on leave. He could have been in transit but would he have been sent to Palestine (5th) or Mesopotamia (1st)? What regiments were his brothers with? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 7 February , 2007 Share Posted 7 February , 2007 Hi Kevin I suppose so. I was assuming that he had already been sent to a Bn other than the reserves as he was home on leave. He could have been in transit but would he have been sent to Palestine (5th) or Mesopotamia (1st)? What regiments were his brothers with? Steve Hallo Steve Sorry for the late reply, there is actually no information available as to where he was stationed, the report in the newspaper, and later reports, on the Court-case states he was on leave, mentions a brother wounded and others serving but does not state where. Kevin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Jock Posted 8 February , 2007 Share Posted 8 February , 2007 Hi All In my Kids bedroom we still have the Rifle stand for the 303. This is the 3 house with this in, a lot of the old military house's still have them. In my quarter in Perth (1968) there was a rifle rack at the top fo the stairs. In training our rifles were racked in the middle of the room and were put into the armoury only at the week-end. We were able to practice our skills until lights out most nights. Stirling Castle Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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