Why?
Oh, and by the way, there’s a least two things wrong with that picture you’ve posted. Spotters, out you come!
Oh, and by the way, there’s a least two things wrong with that picture you’ve posted. Spotters, out you come!
My guess is the sling and missing magazine.
“The US M1907 leather sling was standard issue for this weapon, since it made a better adjustable arm brace than the British web sling.”
From the “World War II Tommy - British Army Uniforms European Theatre 1939-45 in Coulour Photographs”, by Martin Brayley & Richard Ingram (The Crowood Press, 1998, p 89)
Hiddenrug:
Thanks for the picture. I’m a big fan of the Lee-Enfield too. Those No 4 Mk I* (T) sniper rifles can be expensive.
Even if there are two things wrong it’s still a good rifle!
Shot a No. 4 (T) much ?
What other scoped military rifles have you used ?
For one…to me it looks like the scope is on backwards???
Foresight still mounted on a rifle with a scope?
For one…to me it looks like the scope is on backwards???[/quote]
I initially though this too Mike, but they come in all varieties:
Foresight still mounted on a rifle with a scope?[/quote]
Nope, they still had iron sights just in case.
There’s no mag, no target sling swivel, and the sling is wrong.
What makes me think this is the adjustments knobs for the scope are normally found closer to the end you look through, sometimes in the middle. Do they make them with the knobs at the far end of the scope? I’m no expert in scopes but that is what ive seen, any other opinions concerning this?
To answer my own question, it looks like the m1c and m1d sniper scopes had the knobs toward the end of the scope. :? Now…show me a pic of an M1 carbine and Ill tell you whats wrong with it…thats the rifle I know. 
What makes me think this is the adjustments knobs for the scope are normally found closer to the end you look through, sometimes in the middle. Do they make them with the knobs at the far end of the scope? I’m no expert in scopes but that is what ive seen, any other opinions concerning this?
I have several pictures of the No 4 Mk I* (T) and the position of the adjustment knobs is correct. Would be glad to scan the pics and post later.
Various Australian and British snipers and sniper rifles. All B/W photos are from the book “Out of Nowhere - A History of the Military Sniper” by Martin Pegler (Osprey Publishing, 2004). Color photos are from the book “The World War II Tommy - British Army Uniforms - European Theatre 1939-45 In Colour Photographs” by Martin Brayley & Richard Ingram (The Crowood Press,1998, pp88-89). All captions are quoted directly from the books.
Australian Sniper 1, WWII, Sniper P. Ennis, First Australian Infantry, about to go on patrol with No. 1 Mk. III* rifle and P18 scope. p204
Australian Sniper 2, Korea, 1951, Private B. Coffman of New South Wales checking the sight on his Lithgow No. 1 Mk. III*. He is wearing US pattern ammunition pouches and webbing. p273
Australian Sniper Rifle 1, An Australian Lithgow manufactured SMLE No. 1 Mk. III, with pattern 1918 scope on low mounts. This combination was to remain in service until the end of the Korean War. p222
British Sniper 1, WWII, Later in the war Britain began to catch up with Germany in producing practical camouflage clothing. Here Sergeant Furness wears the two-piece windproof jacket and trousers introduced in 1944. His scrim covered helmet is slung over his shoulder and he holds his No. 4 (T) rifle. p245
British Sniper 1c1, [WWII Re-enactor] This sniper wears the camouflage version of the windproof smock and trousers; in cut these followed the general pattern of all windproof clothing. The smock was a popular garment among such specialist troops, but was also on general issue towards the end of the war; being widely seen in photographs of infantry. (Denison smocks and captured German items of SS spotted and Wehrmacht splinter camouflage pattern also saw use among British troops.) While this windproof suit had an excellent camouflage base, individual snipers often made up their own 'ghillie" suits using hessian scrim, netting, or any other available fabrics that would help blend in with their environment. Camouflage face veils - 3ft x 3ft 6in nets, dyed in a grass green and brown pattern -were a general issue item. They were intended for spreading over the helmet, shoulders and pack to break up the outline agaimt observation from the air or ground. Many soldiers wore them as scarfs in the opened neck of the BD blouse.
British Sniper 1c2, [WWII Re-enactor] The No. 4 Mk. I* (T). Snipers’ rifles were selected weapons, chosen for their tighter than average grouping; a cheek piece was added to the butt and the receiver was modified to take the No. 32 telescopic sight, graduated to 1,000 yards. The US M1907 leather sling was standard issue for this weapon, since it made a better adjustable arm brace than the British web sling. Snipers were deployed to dominate the ground between the lines during the brief periods of fairly static confrontation.
British Sniper 2, WWII, British Private Francis Miller, posing with his Enfield Rifle. As the sole survivor of his sniper section, he was universally known as ‘Borrowed Time’. p22
British Sniper 3, WWII, A British sniper with No. 4 (T) in Italy. He has adopted the long Bren-gun webbing sling in preference to the issue leather pattern. p229
British Sniper 4, WWII, House-to-house fighting became a matter of routine in the days following D-Day. A British sniper takes refuge in a loft and watches for movement. Snipers wore what suited them and this man carries the practical and large Bren-gun magazine pouches instead of small ammunition pouches, as well as carrying a pistol on his hip. p256
British Sniper 5, A British sniper in Aden in the mid-1960’s. He has the usual No. 4 (T) rifle, with webbing scope case, but carries his ammunition in a looped hunting belt around his waist. p277
British Sniper 6, Snipers’ course, England, April 1956. There is nothing to tell the casual observer that this is not a course from 1942, as little has altered in the way of clothing or equipment. p278
British Sniper 7, An SAS rifleman in Oman, c. 1974 with L42 rifle and M79 grenade launcher on his back. All are trained in basic sniping techniques but only a few are fuly accredited snipers. p282
British Sniper Rifle 1, The Enfield No. 4 Mk. I (T) rifle and No. 32 Mk. I scope. Solidly built, many believed it to be the best sniping rifle available during the war, on any side. p228
British Sniper Rifle 2, An early variant of the 7.62 mm Enfield L42 rifle. Basically a pared-down No. 4 (T) with heavier barrel, it still used the No. 32 scope. p281
[spottermode] Actually contrary to the blurb for the 1956 snipers course it is easily possible to tell it from a wartime course because all of the soldiers are wearing ties whereas before the end of WWII only officers wore ties in battle-dress.[/spottermode]
George- thanks for posts those quite interesting pics.
What’s the capbadge in the 1956 photograph ?
[quote]British Sniper 6, Snipers’ course, England, April 1956. There is nothing to tell the casual observer that this is not a course from 1942, as little has altered in the way of clothing or equipment. p278
spottermode] Actually contrary to the blurb for the 1956 snipers course it is easily possible to tell it from a wartime course because all of the soldiers are wearing ties whereas before the end of WWII only officers wore ties in battle-dress.[/spottermode][/quote]
Bladensburg, Thanks for the clarification.
Thanks Twitch, it took some time to find, scan and tweek the images, but OCR (optical character recognition) did help to reduce the work in typing the captions.
It looks suspiciously like an RM capbadge. IIRC they still provide sniper training for parts of the Army, don’t know whether they did back then.
It looks suspiciously like an RM capbadge. IIRC they still provide sniper training for parts of the Army, don’t know whether they did back then.[/quote]
That’s what I thought, but I could discern no other devices to confirm this.
There is always an RM prescence amongst the instrs in the Spec Wpns Wg at Dering Bks.