Tool for inspecting gun barrels?

[nsaspdin]

For years I have had in my tool box a small brass tool whose quality I always appreciated, but was never sure of its purpose. It was obviously a tool for visually inspecting something at an awkward angle, but I thought that I had inherited it from an ancestor who was a mining engineer, and I always tried hard in my mind to fit it to his work.

Tonight I was examining some papers of an ancestor who was in the Machine Gun Corps, Major Charles Sydney Smith MC. I spotted just one fellow officer in a group who had a small item on his Sam Browne shoulder strap, the ring of which suddenly appeared so familiar to me. I rushed to find my small tool, and I am sure it is the similar item, and it makes sense, it must be for popping in the breech to inspect the barrel. I feel so pleased to have discovered this, but I need someone to confirm that I have not come to an erroneous conclusion.

The makers mark appears to be "EFD" and there is a small arrow stamp, but much flatter that a traditional WD arrow, and with more flourish.

What can you tell me please?

Photos below.

By the way, the officer with the tool is Watkins (I know this from a covering letter), the initial probably "J". As far as I can tell he survived the war. The officer behind him is Lt George Vyvyan Spurway MC, he was killed March 28 1918. My ancestor Major Charles Sydney Smith MC died aged 28 in Belton House Hospital on November 28 1918, of influenza. I will post the full photo in a next post.

Does anyone have any ideas for Watkin's lapel badges? Smith was a Sherwood Forester before MGC, but I am not convinced that Watkin's badges are Sherwood Forester, roughly the right shape, but I think not.

Nigel

[nsaspdin]

As promised, here is the full photo:

[Andrew Upton]

Tonight I was examining some papers of an ancestor who was in the Machine Gun Corps, Major Charles Sydney Smith MC. I spotted just one fellow officer in a group who had a small item on his Sam Browne shoulder strap, the ring of which suddenly appeared so familiar to me. I rushed to find my small tool, and I am sure it is the similar item, and it makes sense, it must be for popping in the breech to inspect the barrel. I feel so pleased to have discovered this, but I need someone to confirm that I have not come to an erroneous conclusion.

The makers mark appears to be "EFD" and there is a small arrow stamp, but much flatter that a traditional WD arrow, and with more flourish.

I hate to say it, but the tool is not the same as that which features in the picture, as that is clearly a whistle in the appropriate holder on his Sam Brown cross-strap.

The tool is, as you suspect, designed to allow the bore of a Machine Gun (or rifle, although a version without the handle is more usual for that) to be examined, to ensure it is clean, etc.

A lovely group photo by the way!

[SiegeGunner]

Your little tool is definitely a boroscope, Nigel, but it's lost its chain. This one belongs to a friend of mine:

[nsaspdin]

Great..thank you.....I see that is beyond doubt now. Boroscope is a new word to me ! I will keep it for the next quiz night.

There may be doubt now as to whether it is a whistle or boroscope on my man's Sam Browne shoulder strap, but given that a boroscope would not fit in a leather loop if it had a chain attached, maybe the chain was intentionally removed by an officer wishing to carry it in such a manner.

[TonyE]

The correct name for your bore viewer is "Reflector, Mirror, MG"and it was made at the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield. "EFD" was their code and it is quite normal for their Broad Arrow to be flattened with a curve to the prongs.

They were also manufactured by civilian contractors such as Francis Gilbert of Canal Street Birmingham.

The picture shows a rifle version, "Reflector, Mirror" without the handle that I have made by Gilbert. They had a contract No.94/R/1273 dated 3.2.1917 to make 5,000 of these. Like yours, mine has lost its chain.

Gilberts also made thousands of brass cleaning rods for pistols.

Regards

TonyE

P.S. Mick - I had this with me last night to show you but completely forgot!

[SiegeGunner]

Mick - I had this with me last night to show you but completely forgot!

Pity, you could have used it to check which bottles were empty ...

[dutchbarge]

Great..thank you.....I see that is beyond doubt now. Boroscope is a new word to me ! I will keep it for the next quiz night.

There may be doubt now as to whether it is a whistle or boroscope on my man's Sam Browne shoulder strap, but given that a boroscope would not fit in a leather loop if it had a chain attached, maybe the chain was intentionally removed by an officer wishing to carry it in such a manner.

You've cracked it. If you look at the photos closely you'll see a lanyard for his whistle on his left shoulder. (whistle tucked in breast pocket). I believe you've got it right. With the chain removed it does fit nicely into the Sam Browne belt's whistle pocket. I've tried it! Cheers, Bill

[Andrew Upton]

You've cracked it. If you look at the photos closely you'll see a lanyard for his whistle on his left shoulder. (whistle tucked in breast pocket). I believe you've got it right. With the chain removed it does fit nicely into the Sam Browne belt's whistle pocket. I've tried it! Cheers, Bill

No he hasn't, as it looks nothing like the handle of the viewer, and is an exact match for the ring of a whistle, and worn in the correct place to boot, see the following thread for many examples of whistles which are a perfect match:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...&hl=whistle

[dutchbarge]

No he hasn't, as it looks nothing like the handle of the viewer, and is an exact match for the ring of a whistle, and worn in the correct place to boot, see the following thread for many examples of whistles which are a perfect match:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...&hl=whistle

With the bore scope cased and in it's folded position (ring end up) I'd say it looks rather the same as a whistle. Especially in the grainy photo that was posted. If it's a whistle, what's at the end of the lanyard? Cheers, Bill

[nsaspdin]

I am going to have to adjudicate on this.

Having looked at the original photograph under a jeweller's loupe, and looked at the whistle site photos quoted, I think it is indeed a whistle on Watkin's Sam Browne shoulder strap. This whistle ring has more flattened edges that either of the above photos or borescopes with large rings, which have rounded edges to the rings, and there is a flange below the ring found on whistles and not borescopes

Who knows what may be on his lanyard, maybe his watch, maybe a his borescope, or anything small he did not want to lose.

And I never thought that it was the ACTUAL item in the photo, that officer is not my man Smith.

However, the similarity of the ring sizes has coincidentally enabled me to link this item as a military item whereas before I always thought it was a general engineeing tool.

Thanks for your help everyone.

Please apply your minds to an altogether more difficult one at:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...howtopic=110004

Nigel

[Droocoo]

it looks uncannily like a whistle