Enfield battlefield relic

[Pete_C]

I acquired this evocative SMLE and bayonet relic some years ago. No back story but given its condition my best guess is a contemporary battlefield pickup brought home as a souvenir from France during the war. The bayonet pommel is stamped ‘2 1 ,R F, 2 6 8 ‘ - I think that indicates the 21st (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers, 4th Public Schools. They landed in France in November 1915 and saw active service before they were disbanded in April 1916. The boss of the nose cap is stamped with the rifle serial number ‘Y 2 9 4 5 6’ - I recall an old thread about SMLE serial numbers and prefixes but I can’t find it. The underneath of the nose cap has an inspector’s stamp which looks like a crown over a ‘12’, over a ‘B’ - not sure if this gives any clue as to the rifle’s manufacturer ?

Whatever, a thought provoking and powerful testament to the terrifying ferocity of trench warfare.

 

All the best,

 

Pete

Edited 12 November , 2019 by Pete_C

[JMB1943]

Pete,

 

According to Brit & Commonwealth Bayonets by Skennerton ( p. 268),, the “crown/22/ Greek letter lower case beta” would for a BSA inspection mark.

However, your marking is more of an upper case italic B, and I’m not sure if this is equivalent.

The bayonet looks as if the blade was deliberately cut off flush with the cross-guard; is it a smooth cut?

An unusual piece.

 

Regards,

JMB

edit: all of the oilers for the SMLE No. 1, Mk. III were inspected at BSA, and mine is stamped crown/ V5/upper case italic B, so that is consistent with your relic being from a BSA-made rifle.

Edited 12 November , 2019 by JMB1943
add info

[Pete_C]

2 hours ago, JMB1943 said:

Pete,

 

According to Brit & Commonwealth Bayonets by Skennerton ( p. 268),, the “crown/22/ Greek letter lower case beta” would for a BSA inspection mark.

 

The bayonet looks as if the blade was deliberately cut off flush with the cross-guard; is it a smooth cut

Thanks JMB. If it is from a BSA rifle I would imagine that the serial number and prefix could be used to identify the precise date of manufacture  - I’ll see what I can find.

The bayonet blade has clearly been snapped off as the break is quite jagged, consistent with the force of the explosion that destroyed the rifle.

 

Pete

[MikB]

Looking at the way the rear corners of the foresight protector part of the nosecap have been turned up, I wonder if there was a barrel explosion, perhaps from grenade firing?

[reese williams]

Grenade or just an obstructed bore. A wad of Flanders mud in the muzzle could easily cause enough of a pressure wave to blow up a barrel.

See this thread on another forum.

https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?1118293-Killed-my-4-mk

 

While a newer rifle, the physics still apply.

[4thGordons]

13 hours ago, Pete_C said:

If it is from a BSA rifle I would imagine that the serial number and prefix could be used to identify the precise date of manufacture  - I’ll see what I can find.

Pete

 

Not quite the precise date of manufacture but BSA used a Y prefix in 1915  (along with W, X, and Z which crossed over into 1916) so in the second half of 1915 is about as precise as I would want to get. BSA produced almost 276,000 ShtLEs in 1915.

 

(observed serial number prefixes - Enfield research associates data - via Skip Stratton, production estimates from Skennerton)

Chris

[Pete_C]

2 hours ago, 4thGordons said:

 

Not quite the precise date of manufacture but BSA used a Y prefix in 1915  (along with W, X, and Z which crossed over into 1916) so in the second half of 1915 is about as precise as I would want to get. BSA produced almost 276,000 ShtLEs in 1915.

 

Thanks Chris, that's very helpful and sounds about right for a rifle issued to a soldier in the 21st Royal Fusiliers.

Cheers,

 

Pete

 

 

[trajan]

What a stunning piece to have in any collection!