The Enfield Collector's Digest

The Enfield Collectors Digest (ECD) resulted from several Lee-Enfield collectors getting together in 1992 to form a loose confederation of like-minded associates. The first issue of the ECD was published in January of 1993.

It was produced specifically for collectors of Lee-Enfield rifles and British & Commonwealth militaria and was published from 1993 through 2002.

Varying from four to six issues per year, the ECD functioned as a forum for exchange of information between collectors, a learning tool for new collectors, and a source for locating information related to collecting British and Commonwealth firearms and militaria.

By January, 2000, the ECD boasted subscribers in twelve (12) countries - Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Switzerland, and the U.S.

The subscriber base included individuals, major military museums and libraries, many organized collector's clubs and organizations, and the British MOD Pattern Room Library, the Canadian War Museum Library, and the Lithgow Small Arms Museum Library.

Each issue contained an assortment of the following features:

Articles about Lee-Enfield Rifles and other British and British Commonwealth firearms, accessories, and militaria, written by well known authors in the field as well as by subscribers. Well known contributors include Ian Skennerton and Peter Laidler, among others.

Comments from subscribers - personal observations about collecting Lee-Enfield rifles and other British military items.

Tips on new publications on British firearms, accessories, and other related subjects.

A subscriber question and answer column moderated by Paul M. R. Breakey, a well known American collector and Enfield historian and scholar.

Tidbits of information on a variety of subjects related to British Militaria. Both commercial and non-commercial advertisements of items For Sale, Wanted, or For Trade.

Although out of print since 2002, back issues are still available (in limited numbers) at a cost of $5.00 USD each, postage included, USPS Media rate. Postage outside the US, obviously, is extra.

COMPLETE SETS ARE CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE AND SOME INDIVIDUAL ISSUES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE ORDERING -

MEANWHILE, CHECK OUT THE FOLOWING - - - - - - - - - - - -

100 Years AgoTales from the Enfield EmpireOr how we got to where we are Now…
James M. French
Normally I would simply list the events that actually occurred 100 years ago during the two month period in the year 1898 that corresponds with the two months covered by this issue of the ECD. I will focus primarily on events happening in the British Empire, and will only cover events outside that arena if they are major actions, or are of great historical note. Here, however, I must make some effort to bring the reader “up-to-speed” so that he can place himself properly in the year 1898, and appreciate ‘future’ developments. These columns will be written largely as if this were the year 1898. Thus, I need to give you some background, and place you, gentle reader in the year 1898, well and properly within the “Enfield Empire”. I also intend to use the British perspective, and to be rather a little “jingoistic”. This offers an interesting look at the world back then, since the British were then in a position rather similar to that of the US in recent decades. Reader: As I’m sure you are aware, England is the most industrialized country in the world. She has some 50 percent of all world production. In addition, she has acquired almost 25 percent of the landmass of the planet. Her fleet is by intention equal to the next two most powerful national fleets combined. This powerful fleet is, however, widely dispersed, with gunboats, cruisers and squadrons in all corners of the globe. While the fleet connects this far-flung empire, it is the army that holds. Across the Channel, we have witnessed many things happening in the last 48 years. After we joined with France and others in the Crimean campaign to check an overbearing Russia and assist Turkey, we have had cordial relations with most countries on the continent. France, after losing the provinces of Alsace-Lorraine (now Elsass-Lothringen) to Prussia in the war that unified the German Empire in 1871, has been busy expanding her overseas empire for the last 27 years. The Italian peninsula was unified only in 1861, with the annexation of Venice 5 years later, and lastly, papal Rome only 28 years ago. Italy is an extremely poor country, characterized by large-scale emigration to all parts of the New World. The other great European power, Austria-Hungary was put together under the Hapsburgs in 1867, and seems to have settled into a very quiet, comfortable state. South of them in the Balkans, lie the States of Serbia, Montenegro, Romania and Bulgaria, which border on the muslim Ottoman Empire, which holds from Greece to southern Arabia. The Americas have been largely quiet since the Civil War except for some Indian trouble in our Canadian Province; but all that changed this April. The United States has been concerned ever since the insurrection in Spanish Cuba that started in 1895 has left almost half a million subjects of the Spanish crown living in desolation and starvation. Well, in November of 1897 at US urging, Spain granted autonomy status to Cuba. This seemed to mollify the US, which sent the battleship, USS Maine, to Havana on a diplomatic visit arriving January 25 of this year. Then, on February 15, at 9:40 PM, the ship blew up, sinking in the harbor and killing 260 of her crew. Well, the newspapers have been whipping up a furor in the US ever since, and President McKinley sent 3 diplomatic notes to Spain in March that demanded full independence for Cuba. Spain, of course, refused such blatant and insulting interference in her affairs, and so, on April 25, the US Congress declared war on Spain. It is really hard to imagine what the US is up to with her third rate navy, and no army worthy of the name. It is only the fact that the Spanish navy is fourth rate that may give the Americans some chance at all. As it is, there was quite a scare for the last couple of months all up the eastern seaboard of the US expecting Admiral Cervera’s cruisers from the Cape Verde Islands to appear at any instant and bombard the cities. The Americans even reactivated some old Civil War era monitors and had them cruise the harbors of important cities on the Atlantic coast! The USS Oregon sailed from Bremerton, Washington to Key West in an epic journey around Cape Horn, taking on coal at sea, arriving on May 26 after 68 days. Finally, on June 3^rd, the US Atlantic Fleet under Admiral Sampson located the Spanish Fleet in the Cuban harbor of Santiago, and has blockaded it in port since. The US army has been desperately trying to train and equip an expeditionary force of volunteers and reservists. This armed mob wearing all sorts of state militia, reserve and regular US uniforms finally got under way from Tampa, Florida in hastily improvised shipping on June 14^th. On June 22^nd, the troops were landed in Daiquiri, Cuba, against no opposition, very fortunately for the Americans, since even a regiment of Spanish regulars could have turned this into one or the worst disasters in American military history. Their purpose is to take the port of Santiago, Cuba from the land, and capture the fleet that is sheltering there. Fortunately for General Shafter, General Linares commanding the region did not show any initiative and use his 12,000 seasoned regular troops aggressively. One really hopes for better from the Americans than this. Why does one attack a well-established sovereign nation in one of its long-standing colonies for emotional reasons during the height of the disease season (particularly Yellow Fever season)? Why throw a half trained, poorly equipped (the US only recently put away their percussion muzzle loaders in favor of the well built but under powered Kraq-Jorgenson rifle) expeditionary force against a well established, veteran foe on his own ground? American ships, lighters, and freighters taken up out of trade are completely unsuited to this sort of activity in the tropics. Only the fact that the Americans are fighting Spain makes this sort of gamble remotely possible. Still, it is a shocking way to utilize men and equipment, and it makes one glad that such rash activity is not necessary here. Great Britain knows measured diplomacy and could have resolved this situation with a single diplomatic note. If needed, we could mount a proper demonstration from a great navy, and field a large professional army, moved by superb transport, and supported by supply and medical services that would not needlessly waste good men in the tropics. As for our equipment, the recently adopted Lee-Metford rifle is vastly superior to the Krag. It is nice to live in a civilized country that is not driven to act in such a rash and impetuous manner. Across the Pacific from the Americas, the US has done rather nicely for itself. The US Asiatic Squadron under Admiral Dewey left neutral British Hong Kong within 48 hours of the declaration of war on Spain, since that is the rule required of all belligerent nations under the conventions of war. Thus, on Sunday, April 24 the US Squadron departed Hong Kong for the secluded anchorage of Mirs Bay, on the China coast, where the ships topped up on coal, provisions and finished repairs. After checking for the Spanish squadron in Subic Bay on April 30, the ships passed the Corregidor batteries and entered Manila Bay before dawn, May 1^st. The Americans were assisted by poor Spanish dispositions, as they did not move their fleet close to their shore batteries off the city of Manila, but fought off the Cavite peninsula south of the town. Admiral Dewey destroyed 10 Spanish war vessels and captured the Cavite naval yard winning a resounding victory, and anchored off Manila. I understand that the people in the US were deliriously happy when the news arrived. The Spanish did not surrender the town or the islands, however, as they had thousands of troops ashore. They did agree not to fire on the American ships, if the Americans did not fire on Manila. Thus matters sit while the Americans try to find some troops to go to the Philippines. On shore there are Philippine insurgent forces hemming in the Spanish, but they do not pose a sufficiently powerful or aggressive force to overcome the garrison. Indeed, it appears that the insurgents expect the US to free and then turn the islands over to them! We shall have to see if that is President McKinley’s intention. Meanwhile, one British, one French, two German and one Japanese men-of-war are in Manila Bay observing the standoff. On June 30, a brigade of 117 officers and 2382 men enter Manila Bay, and are landed to hold the Cavite peninsula. Clearly more men are required to actually take the city and then the rest of the islands. Additional American troops sailed from San Francisco on June 15^th and on June 28^th. Elsewhere in the pacific islands, there is some trouble brewing in German controlled Samoa, but that will discussed later. Further west, China is patrolled along much of the coast, and up the great rivers by the western powers, who have significant interests on the ground. The Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895 is now over, and the Japanese proved to the Chinese that they have the same power projection capabilities as that of a western power. The government in Peking is largely ineffectual, and in areas controlled by Japan or the western powers, the laws of the controlling party are those exercised. Things are quiet at present in Dutch Indonesia, French Indochina, British Australia and in British Mandalay (Burma). In India, where Queen Victoria rules as Empress, you will recall that we fought the Malakand Campaign (1896-1897) last year. That took imperial troops into the Swat Valley to suppress a violent civil war in Chitral. Currently we are engaged in the Tirah Campaign. Tirah is a mountainous tract in west central North-West Frontier province (Pakistan). It lies between the Khyber Pass and the Khanki Valley and is inhabited mainly by Afridi and Orakzay Pashtun tribes. The Afridi rose in a “jihad” against the Empire in 1897, captured our posts and closed the Khyber Pass, then attacked our forts near Peshawar. We are now engaged in the hardest fighting in British India since the Second Afghan War, with over 40,000 British and Indian troops engaged. I will give you details of that campaign, as they become available. In East Africa, we have been engaged in a low-grade campaign against the Arab slave traders in Nyasaland since 1885. While much of the activity has been naval interdiction, there has been army activity as well. Further north, in Uganda, the British Sudanese Troops we had stationed there mutinied last year in 1897. This is a rather ugly business in a difficult part of the empire to reach, and we are continuing our efforts to regain control of that area and round up the mutineers. Additional troops, including a Sikh Regiment have been dispatched to the area. Something that will help that effort is the Mombasa to Kampala railway that is now under construction. Even as we write this, they are working on a stretch from Mombasa to Niarobi that is crossing the Tsavo River gorge. Thousands of Indian workers were imported for this project. There are reports that some lions are devouring some of the workers. I believe a book will come out of this titled, “The Man-Eaters of Tsavo” by Lt. Col. J.H. Patterson, D.S.O. (re-printed by Pocket Books, 1996). In addition, something called a ‘film’ will be made titled, “The Ghost and the Darkness”. Nevertheless, our concern is the completion of this railray, and if this lion business continues, the workers may run off back down the line to Mombasa! The main story in Empress Victoria’s realm this year is the effort by the 25,000 British and Egyptian troops under General Kitchener to reach Kartoum and bring the Dervish Army of (estimated) 80,000 to battle. As I am sure you remember, Major General Charles Gordon, representative of the British Government in the Sudan, was murdered by the Mahdi on January 20, 1885, and we are finally going to bring those responsible to book. General Kitchener has spent over 2 years in trying to reach the region of Kartoum with a modern army, having to go around cataracts and cross hundreds of miles of trackless desert to get to Kartoum. He has been laying railroad track almost since he arrived in Egypt, and has used the rails to actually transport 5 steam gunboats across the desert in sections to get around the cataracts of the upper Nile. Kitchener is now known as “Sidar” Kitchener, as those who command both the Egyptian and Imperial forces takes on the title of the local government as well. One action was already fought at Atbara on April 8, 1889, where a portion of the Dervish army under Emir Mahmud tried to block the path to Berber on the upper Nile. There, Kitchener and General Gatacre routed a force of almost 20,000 Dervish, including several thousand members of the Hadendoa tribe under their leader Osman Digna, known to the British regulars as the “fuzzy-wuzzies”! This should not be taken as a term of belittlement, rather these tribesmen are noted for the ferocity of their attack, and are particularly good at night actions where they approach silently and then spring on the British outposts. In this large-scale battle, however, they were no match for British volley fire. Reports indicate that a large-scale action is imminent on September 2^nd, 1898, at the very gates of Khartoum. We will give you follow-up reports as they arrive. We feel confident in British arms, which are of the latest type. The combined Anglo-Egyptian Army consists of the mounted troops (The 21^st Lancers, Camel Corps, and the Egyptian cavalry) which were forced to march overland the entire distance. The infantry consists of 8,200 British Troops, 17,600 Egyptians and Sudanese. The artillery component comprises 44 field guns and 20 Maxims. All these men are supported by and mounted on 2,470 horses, 5,250 camels and 230 donkeys. The gunboats carry 36 guns and 24 Maxims. Most of the troops were forced to negotiate the terrifying Sixth Cataract of the Nile crammed aboard the gunboats and transports of the river force. If you take a look at a map, you will be amazed at the feat already accomplished to get such a large and well-equipped force so far into the interior of Africa in this day and age. The British troops are armed with the new bolt action magazine rifle, the Lee-Metford Rifle Mk. II, while the Egyptian and Sudanese regiments are armed with the single shot breech loading Martini-Henry Rifle. For those of you unfamiliar with the new army rifle, it is loaded on command with single rounds and fired just like the old reliable Martini-Henry Rifle, using a bolt action rather than the Martini’s dropping lever. The big advantage is in an emergency situation, where a lever on the side of the rifle controlling the “magazine cut-off” is moved aside, and the soldier can then rapidly fire in succession the 10 rounds lying in the magazine by simply working the bolt of the gun. The rifle can then continue to be fired using single rounds as before. If a pause in the battle occurs, the troops can seize the opportunity to recharge the magazine up to its capacity of ten rounds (formerly 8 rounds), by pressing in individual rounds. The “cut-off” plate is then returned to its position covering the top of the magazine, and the soldier is ready to load single rounds as before on command, but with a fresh reserve in place. I hope that all of you in the Enfield Empire will raise a glass on September 2^nd, in toast of ‘Kitchener and the Boys’ who will fight the Battle of Omduran in 1898 and advance into the city of Khartoum, thereby avenging Gordon’s death and British honor, by nightfall. If you have one of those Television things, there are two portrayals of this, one is called, “Storm over the Nile”, and the other is titled, “The Four Feathers”. They are very similar to each other and tell the same story. As examples of the era, they are excellent. I also understand from sources, that some British ‘blue-bloods’ are on the scene. In particular young Lieutenant Winston Churchill, late of the 17^th Lancers in India, son of Lord Randolph Churchill, finagled his way into the 21^st Lancers so as to participate in the battle. Perhaps he will get a chance to lead his section in a proper cavalry charge and thus uphold the family’s tradition of martial arms; although why we still send troops into battle with a long lance in this day and age seems strange to me, and smacks of the Middle Ages!

(Under Construction, More to be added later, Pardon.)

Vol. I No. 1 Jan-93

The .303 British Cartridge
The Lee-Enfield Saga
The SMLE - A Rifle for a New Century
The SMLE Aim Corrector

Vol. I No. 2 Apr-93

Conversion of the .303 Rifle No. 4 to 7.62 mm
The Alfred J. Parker Model 8/53 Aperture Backsight Attachment
The No. 4 Enfield as a Target Rifle
The Rifle No. 5 Mk 2 Prototype

Vol. I No. 3 Jul-93

Lee-Enfield S.M.L.E. Action Skeleton ("The British Service Lee")
The National Rifle Factory Mark III*
The Pattern '14 No. 1 Is Not A .303
Use .308 Diameter Bullets With Your .303 British
What is a Sight? (Poem)

Vol. I No. 4 Oct-93

An Arms Fair North Of The Border
British Lee Trigger Guard Variations
Enfield Firing Pin Tools
Reloading Tips For The .303
The .303 British Cartridge
The Swift Training Rifles
The Venerable Lee-Enfield

Vol. II No. 1 Jan-94

96 Years Old And Still Going Strong
A Tale Of One Lee-Enfield
Markings ... On ... Rifles of the WWI - WWII Period
Some Enfields Are Born Ugly
The No. 1 Mark VI Lee-Enfield ...
The Rifle EY

Vol. II No. 2 Mar-94

An Ishapore Sectionalized No. 1 Mk III*
Enfields And The Movies
The Collector
The First Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, Part I

Vol. II No. 3 May-94

Canadian 7.62 Conversions
Getting to Know Your Lee-Enfield ...
Lee-Enfield C No. 4 Mk 1* Rifles (The British Service Lee")
The First Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, Part II
The P-14 Enfield in WWII and Beyond
The Sniper

Vol. II No. 4 Jul-94

A Century of Sights and Sighting Aids
Navy Arms L39 & L42 Rifles
The First Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, Part III
The Swift Training Rifles (An Addendum)

Vol. II No. 5 Sep-94

A Brief History of the US Enfield
Brass Oiler Markings
Lee-Enfield Dust Covers - A Legacy of World Way One Trench Warfare
Notes on the Lee-Enfield Magazine Cut-Off

Vol. II No. 6 Nov-94

Grading and Pricing Military Rifles
Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 Sniper Rifles
The Commonwealth's Other .303

Vol. III No. 1 Jan-95

.303 Rifle No. 4 Serial Numbers
Brass Oiler Markings: Part Two
Refurbishing and Restoring Aging and Ailing Enfields, Part I
SMLE Anomalies

Vol. III No. 2 Mar-95

An Austrian SMLE
Ekins' Automatic Lee-Enfield
Refurbishing and Restoring Aging and Ailing Enfields, Part II
Vol. III No. 3 May-95 Enfield of the Month: Rifle No. 5 Mk 1
Excerpt from the 1929 A. J. Parker Catalog
R.S.A.F. Enfield Appraisal of Lithgow S.M.L.E. Production
Refurbishing and Restoring Aging and Ailing Enfields, Part III

Vol. III No. 4 Jul-95

Accuracy: Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 and No. 4 Mk 2
Cleaning Your .303
In Search of C.E. Pryor

Vol. III No. 5 Sep-95

A Long Affair with the Lee-Enfield
A Museum Piece SMLE
Another Ross
BSA .22 Martini
Enfield S.M.L.E. Action Skeletons
Naval Marked Lee-Enfields

Vol. III No. 6 Nov-95

.308 Bullets in the .303 - Another Perspective
Going Back and Then Some (Black Powder Enfields)
Lee-Enfield Sentencing & Repair Marks

Vol. IV No. 1 Jan-96

Comments of the "E.Y." Rifle Issue
Lee-Enfield Rifle Bolt Head Changes
No. 2 Mk IV Training Rifles
The U.S. No. 4 Enfield

Vol. IV No. 2 Mar-96

Canadian Drill Pattern Rifles, Part I
EY Classification
Magazines: Rifles No. 1 and No. 4
T.E. Lawrence and the SMLE

Vol. IV No. 3 May-96

Canadian Drill Pattern Rifles, Part II
S.M.L.E. Mk III Reproduction .22 Caliber Training Unit
Salvage After The Somme
Shooting Lead Bullets In Lee-Enfield Rifles
The End Of R.S.A.F. Enfield

Vol. IV No. 4 Jul-96

.303 British Low Pressure Loads
Notes on the Ishapore SMLE
Reenactment Groups in the U.S. and Elsewhere

Vol. IV No. 5 Sep-96

How To Clean Your Rifle (from a 1914 SMLE manual)

Vol. IV No. 6 Nov-96

Americanizing The Queen's English
R.F.I. .410 Muskets
The Grenade Launching Rifle and Its Projectiles
The S.M.L.E. Combination Tool

Vol. V No. 1 Jan-97

Action Skeleton - S.M.L.E. Mk III & III*
British Special Air Service (Brief History)
Production at Long Branch

Vol. V No. 2 Mar-97

A Simplified Rifle Rack
Another Use for the Sale Mark
Collecting No. 4 Enfield Bayonets
McGurk's Rifle

Vol. V No. 3 May-97

A No. 4 Mk 1* Returns
British Sniping Equipment of the Great War
Field Thermos on the Somme
Scope Caps for Sniper Rifles
The Alfred J. Parker Model 8/53 Aperture Backsight Attachment
The Mad Minute
The Other Enfield (Royal Enfield Motors)

Vol. V No. 4 Jul-97

Bren L.M.G. Bipods
British Steel Helmets, 1915-18
Evolution of the Bren Gun

Vol. V No. 5 Sep-97

Barrels, Bolts & Breechblocks - "Sale Marks"
Mk 2 Sten MG Carbine
Naming of Parts - a poem by Henry Reed
The "Chest, Bren M.G. MkI

Vol. V No. 6 Nov-97

Cumulative Index to the ECD 1993 - 1997
The French Index to Lesser Articles and Comments in the ECD
The Last Lee-Enfield - The India 2a and 2A1 Rifles

Vol. VI No. 1 Jan-98

Target Shooting with the .303
Accuracy and the S.M.L.E.
New Use For Old Scabbards
Thoughts on a 1917 Lithgow Rifle

Vol. VI No. 2 Mar-98

Knapp's Knotes - "Irish Free State No. 4 Mk 4 Rifle"

Vol. VI No. 3 May-98

Knapp's Knotes - "Brit. Anti-Aircraft Gun Azimuth Sighting Tube"

Vol. VI No. 4 Jul-98

Knapp's Knotes - "Identifying South African No. 4 Rifles"

Vol. VI No. 5 Sep-98

Knapp's Knotes - "The 'Osterr Gendarmerie' Mk III Rifle"

Vol. VI No. 6 Nov-98

The MOD Pattern Room and Its Future
Using the Lee-Enfield For Practical Shooting (PR)
Shooting the Martin’ ‘enry
London’s American Home Guard
On Tour With Lawrence: Part 2; A Desert Viewed
A Pilgrimage to the Lithgow Small Arms Museum
The Single Black Chevron

Vol. VII No. 1 Jan-99

The MOD Pattern Room and Its Future - Update
India Drill Purpose Rifle
British Traditions
Origins & History: Lithgow Samll Arms Factory
Pattern 1893 Martini Metford Bayonet
The French Index - 1998 Update
Cumulative Index to ECD 1993-1998

Vol. VII No. 2 Apr-99

No. 5 Mk 1 – Last Production at Shirley
The Snider Breech-Loader Rifle
The E.A.L. Rifle
Weighing of Springs & The Enfield Rifle spring Balance
From The Armourer's Bench – "Fitting Bolts"
A Century of Sights and Sighting Aids
IN MEMORIAM – Edna Rosalind Parker

Vol. VII No. 2 Apr-99

The Last Rifle No. 1 Model

Vol. VII No. 3 Jul-99

Tips & Tricks – "Rust Removal"
Fakes & Frauds
"Current" Issue .303 Military Ammo
The British Army Says Farewell to the Bren
4 (T) or not 4 (T) – The No4 Lee Enfield Sniper Rifle
The Rejected Enfield
The New Martini-Enfield Rifle
Three WWI Armourers' Tools
Shooting Black Powder in the .303
Enfield's 7.62mm Specialty Rifles

Vol. VII No. 4 Oct-99

The .303 British Cartridge – An Overview
The .303 British
Lee Enfield Chamber Size
Reloading Tips For The .303
Reloading the .303 British – Chambers & Headspace
.303 Case Life
Pakistani Lee-Enfields
Grenade Trials?