Invention of the periscope rifle

[Guest]

Some footage of an actual periscope rifle in use, in Peter Jackson's restored Gallipoli film.

http://blogs.mediapart.fr/blog/antoine-duroyon/060508/temoignage-historique-de-gallipoli

Mike

[green_acorn]

The BEF-MEF argument about the invention of the Periscope Rifle is all academic, neither were uniquely new. However given the circumstances of the time, an inability by the respective "inventors in their trenches" to trawl through Patents and the Internet, they understandably both get credit.

As was pointed out the Youlten Hyposcope (periscope attachment for a rifle) was trialled in 1902-03, the report at http://www.rifleman....n_Hyposcope.htm indicated that it could be used up to 600 yds though this was much improved in 1903. By late 1914 they were being sold commercially in the UK. Further Googling turns up that Mr William Youlten in fact invented the device early in the Anglo-Boer War and this was reported in the 19 May 1903 edition of the West Gippsland Gazette.

The Scientific American Magazine of 26 Sep 1903 has an article about Youlten's invention with photographs of US Army Marksmen demonstrating its use. The West Gippsland Gazette mentioned that Youlten was invited to the US to demonstrate his invention further. The article also mentions that Youlten had designed a hyposcope for machine guns.

There is an image on Flickr of the original Youlten hyperscope (rifle periscope) being demonstrated in 1904.

The design patented by J. Chandler in September of 1915 to me is no doubt the best, as the bolt could be operated.

In January 1915 GHQ BEF published CDS 12 "Hyposcope Attachment for Machine Guns" (Does anyone know of a copy somewhere?) I assume the pamphlet is about the Youlten hyposcope for machine guns, as a seller had a box labelled "Youlten's Patent Prismatic Hyposcope Bridge Attachment" "Maxim or Vickers .303 Guns" for sale a few months ago.

Cheers,

Hendo

[NigelS]

A full version of Chandler's patent & several for Youlten (& others) can be found using the previously mentioned Espacenet site using 'hyposcope' in a 'simple search'

NigelS

[b3rn]

This diagram is from 8th Corps General Staff war diary (1915 Oct-Dec). I came across it today and thought it might be of interest.

[IWODMJPod]

On 31/03/2012 at 05:49, centurion said:

So we have photographic evidence of at least three different designs in use at Gallipoli - The Beech, the Shout and the RE. The all have the same draw back - the user needs to expose his hand to work the bolt. The earlier metal pantograph design used by Kent allows the bolt to be operated without exposing any part of the body to enemy fire. This design could not have been improvised in the trenches and would have needed a decent behind the lines workshop to produce.

I know it's hardly concrete historical footage, but when I have seen the Periscope rifle used in film footage, either newsreel or cinema, after firing the rifle is usually pulled back into the trench to work the bolt and then returned to the parapet.

[trajan]

On 20/01/2024 at 01:47, IWODMJPod said:

I know it's hardly concrete historical footage, but when I have seen the Periscope rifle used in film footage, either newsreel or cinema, after firing the rifle is usually pulled back into the trench to work the bolt and then returned to the parapet.

Which certainly sounds logical!