Hearted Youtube comments on Forgotten Weapons (@ForgottenWeapons) channel.
-
250
-
248
-
247
-
247
-
A bit of background on the scope's original owner:
Patrick Augustine Bates, r/n 234399 was born August 04, 1889 at Sydney Nova Scotia. Two brothers served with the 25th (Nova Scotia) Battalion, one of whom died at Vimy Ridge.. He enlisted with the 203rd (Winnipeg Rifles) Battalion on March 23, 1916 at Winnipeg. Went to England with the 203rd aboard SS Grampian from Halifax to Liverpool, October 24 to November 04, 1916. Posted to Bramshott Camp on arrival. Posted to the 78th (Winnipeg Grenadiers) Battalion on December 28, 1916 and proceeded to France. Joined the 78th on January 04, 1917 at Vimy Ridge near Souchez. Seriously wounded on November 06, 1918 in the left arm, (compound fractures of Radius, Ulna, and some Metacarpels of left hand), back and left thigh by gunshots and shrapnel while crossing the Grand Honelle River near Quarouble. By successfully crossing the river, the 78th became the first CEF unit to enter Belgium. That night, the battalion went into reserve in billets near Anzin, and did not see any more combat before the Armistice.
Bates was invalided to England on November 11, 1918, and spent the next six months in hospital. He returned to Canada in May 1919, and was admitted to the Dominion Orthopaedic Hospital at Toronto. His left arm was not healing as hoped, and he had severe movement limits. On July 11, 1919, his left arm was amputated below the elbow. He remained in hospital in Toronto until January 1920, when he was transferred to Halifax. He was discharged as medically unfit at Halifax on January 30, 1920. Bates died at Halifax on February 24, 1976.
247
-
244
-
243
-
242
-
240
-
236
-
235
-
234
-
232
-
231
-
231
-
230
-
229
-
228
-
226
-
226
-
225
-
224
-
223
-
222
-
218
-
217
-
217
-
213
-
To add another data point to the history as we know it, my father was in the Estonian Army between the wars. And he actually saw those rifles. They were commonly referred to as 'Arsenal Rifles". They were reputed to be very accurate and of very high quality. But from his recollection they were never issued to anyone. They were kept in reserve for a war that pretty much never happened as envisioned. As a marksman, my father and pretty much every other Estonian soldier trained with the "English" rifles, which we would recognize today as the Pattern 14.
I got the feeling that the arsenal rifles were a matter of national pride, He never made any mention that they were upgraded Russian rifles. They were most certainly too good to be issued to the troops and gotten wet or dirty by common Estonian soldiers during peacetime or in training. So to set the record straight, these rifles were safe queens, while the actual Estonian military rifles were P-14s.
My father was studying in Germany when the war broke out. So it is possible that these rifles were issued during or immediately prior to the war by or to someone, but I haven't come across any significant contribution they made in the conflict.
I further inquired about the quality and condition of the p-14s in Estonian service at the time. My father seemed originally confused by the question and then he replied "Every Friday my company had a shoot for weekend passes and every Saturday I got a hair cut and watched a movie. If you could shoot, they hit what you shot at."
I suppose I've always wondered how the arsenal rifle actually shoots, If you get to actually shoot it, let me know.
211
-
209
-
205
-
204
-
203
-
202
-
202
-
202
-
Excellent stuff! Minor point, it wasn't just Liberators that dropped weapons containers, Stirlings and Halifaxes as well as just about anything else did so too.
The headmaster of the school in Obterre, just up the road from me, was executed for leading a team that set up field markings for the drops, every year in Azay-le-Ferron, we celebrate the Battle of the Pechoire, where the Maquis fought the Germans, losing 8 men, the Germans lost 12. A few neighbours knew the men and boys that were involved. What weapons the Maquis Carol had, I do not know, probably a mixture.
I have asked if any guns were hidden locally and not handed in, no one has given me a straight answer. One neighbour does have a Webley pistol that was given to his grandfather by a British officer in Normandy. He will not allow me to film it, there may be a question of 'legality'.
200
-
198
-
196
-
196
-
195
-
191
-
191
-
189
-
188
-
Just make sure all your shots are up to date. My late Great Uncle went on a tour of Guadalcanal in 1942 with the 1st Marines. It was a very realistic tour as the Japanese entertained them with ship and artillery bombardments, rifle and machine gun fire, and the occasional bombing by "Washing Machine Charlie" (which he usually slept through as you had more chance of getting hit by lightning then by Charlie.). He enjoyed the gourmet food (rice, rice, and more rice mixed with C-Rations and canned fish). He was especially thrilled by their luxurious accommodations including a nice hole in the ground, the lovely rainfall (rain is so soothing for sleep, unless you're bailing out your hole), and especially the bathing facilities (usually happened during the soothing rainfall). And of course, his favorite thing was the refreshing daily hikes (for some reason management called them "Patrols"), which generally resulted in playtime with the Japanese. All in all, a wonderful time that he remembered for years afterwards. Especially during his VA visits for the weird and interesting stuff he picked up at the "Canal" to include Malaria, parasites, and a couple of things they never could identify (but it made it interesting for the Doctors). Hopefully your tour is a little less interesting than his time on the Canal.
186
-
186
-
186
-
184
-
182