The Canadian Mk.III Ross Rifles.

[Terrylee]

The two versions of the Mk.III Ross Rifle. Top, the ill-fated Mk.III initially issued to thye Canadians during the First World War and below, a Mk.III B from the British contract of 1914.

The Mk.III proved heavy, unwieldy and prone to jamb. They were withdrawn from the Canadian troops over the period May to September, 1916 and replaced by Short Magazine Lee Enfields. Many of the Rosses were then reissued to the Royal Navy where they saw service during both World Wars. A few equipped with telescopic sights remained in service with Canadian snipers who appreciated their superb accuracy and were probably better qualified to care for their rifles.

The Mk.III B rifles were part of an incomplete British contract for 100,000 which was eventually cancelled at just over 67,000 when the Ross was found to be unsatisfactory. The differences to the Canadian version is minimal and chiefly confined to the sighting. Some of these rifles were supplied to the White Russians.

The Mk.III in the photo and its bayonet are numbered D.A.320, from which an interesting history can be established. When hostilities commenced in 1914 two battleships were being constructed in the United Kingdom for the Chilean Navy. One of these, the Almirante Latorre, and immediately expropriated for the Royal Navy. There she served as H.M.S. Canada and took part in the Battle of Jutland. At a later date, probably in late 1916 or 1917, this ship received its quota of Ross Rifles which were still aboard when she reverted to the Chilean Navy in 1921 under her original name. These rifles and their bayonets wwere marked with "D.A." by the Chileans, which stands for "Department de Armada" and a rack number. The Ross Rifles remained on the Almirante Latorre until she was scrapped in the 1960s. they were then purchased by a Canadian Company and returned to Canada from where this one was imported in 1973.

[4thGordons]

Two nice examples Terrylee.

I have a MkIII (which is N marked on the butt) and am always on the lookout for a MkIIIB but I have only seen one for sale in the past several years and that had apparently been rebarrelled to 45-70 govt. calibre.

Chris

[TonyE]

It is odd how scarce the Mark IIIB rifles are in the UK. The great majority of the Ross rifles issued to the Home Guard in WW2 seem to have been Mark III rather than IIIB. Presumably this is because they were ex Canadian rifles handed over in 1916 in exchange for SMLEs. I have been looking for a Mark IIIB for a long time too.

One day...

Regards

TonyE

[Terrylee]

I have to admit that my Mk.III B is the only one I've ever come across. It appears that a target sight was fitted at some stage and, unlike the Mk.III from H.M.S. Canada, its barrel shows considerable wear. Apart from that I have no idea of its previous history or of how it entered South Africa.

My Mk.III has "M 281" stamped into the small of its butt. I expect that this marking predates its Chilean service. Does anybody know its significance?