Use of long Lee Enfields in the great war

[Mk VII]

The same group marching through YPRES on the same day. Pte. PERRY (with the white object round his neck) was killed by shellfire shortly after the photograph was taken and is buried in BIRR CROSSROADS cemetary.

[Borden Battery]

Here are some websites related to the action of the Lee Enfield rifle. Borden Battery

Lee Enfield 1915 Lithgow SMLE Rifle - YouTube Video

A closer look at my Lithgow-built Lee Enfield No1 Mike SMLE. It retains the original features, including volley sights and a magazine cutoff. It was army rebarreled in 1935 with a heavy barrel for marksman use. An 8 minute video with details on the rifle. [CEF Study Group - Oct 2010]

Lee-Enfield 1917 SMLE Shoot - YouTube Video

1917 BSA Lee-Enfield No1 MkIII* has ten rounds put through it [CEF Study Group - Oct 2010]

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=tfulvd2EwVw&feature=related

Lee Enfield SMLE Rifle - YouTube Video

The Lee-Enfield was, in various marks and models, the British Army's standard bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle for over 60 years from (officially) 1895[3] until 1957,[4] although it remained in British service well into the early 1960s and is still found in service in the armed forces of some Commonwealth nations.[5] In its many versions, it was the standard army service rifle for the first half of the 20th century, and was adopted by Britain's colonies and Commonwealth allies, including India, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. [CEF Study Group - Oct 2010]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5_x1cpfjwY&p=2D99367D1763700A&playnext=1&index=6

[DeMorgan]

"But, on with my question. Could anyone please tell me if there were any British combat units that used the Long Lee Enfields in The Great War?"

You might enjoy the following blog I posted about the Queen's Westminster Rifles and Sergeant Fulton.

http://queenswestminsterrifles.blogspot.com/2010/09/fulton-family-and-volunteer-rifle.html

They went to France in November 1914 with the long Lee Enfield, preferring it to the short Lee Enfield.

The QWR kept the Long Lee Enfield until shortly after the attack on Hooge on the August 7th 1915, when they were re-equipped with SMLE's.

As the Durham Light Infantry pictured elsewhere on this thread were also part of this same attack I am wondering if the battalions with Long Lee Enfields were brigaded together in France.

Was the ammunition different from that used in a Short Lee Enfield?

Regards

Nick Balmer

[TonyE]

I just posted a long reply to your last post but it seems to have got lost in the ether!

I will precis my answer.

I disagreed that the Charger Loading Lee Enfield was "one of the alternatives to the short rifle that was rejected for service" since the SMLE Mark I was introduced in 1902 but the conversion of long rifles to CLLE did not start until 1907.(1905 in India)

The early CLLE rifles were sighted for the Ball Mark VI which had the round nosed 215 grain bullet, but the later Mark I CLLE rifles post 1914 was marked "HV" for "high velocity" and was sighted for the Ball Mark VII with the pointed 174 grain bullet. Although the Mark VII had been introduced in 1911, Mark VI ammunition continued to be made throughout the war for Territorial and Colonial units still armed with long rifles that had not been re-sighted.

Pictures of the ammo below.

BTW, I knew Arthur when he was still around at Bisley in the 1960s.

Regards

TonyE