Boer-ised Enfield

[helen]

Hello,

Just wanted to show some pics of this Enfield and see whether you have any comments or thoughts about it, or can tell me anything through the marks. It has been chopped around a bit during its capture by (and subsequent recapture from!) the Boers.

Here is the information on the card that came with it to the museum where it now lives:

'Enfield 1898, .303 rifle, found by the donor's brother, Frederick Nicholas Griffin, after an engagement with the BOERS at WAGENAARS KRAAL, CAPE COLONY, 18 Feb. 1902. The wooden encasement beneath the barrel has been cut away, presumably to lessen the weight as a whole. The firing-pin has been filed away at the point. Its owner Judge HUGO was killed during the action. Length 3' 4".'

Is this weapon the same as the MLE or 'Long Lee' that was issued in 1895?

Thanks

[helen]

[helen]

[Mervyn Mitton]

Helen - this is really rather a strange item. Issue marks from 1898 and captured in 1902 - near the end of the War. I wonder who Judge Hugo was ? Do you have any biographical info. on him ? The question of course, being, what was he doing with a British rifle and how did he acquire it ?

I don't know a lot about these weapons - perhaps a member will add comments? With the barrel exposed is not the normal pattern - or, at least I don't think so. The one I used to carry had stock right to the top?

Edited July 3, 2009 by Mervyn Mitton

[Tom Y]

I don't know a lot about these weapons - perhaps a member will add comments? With the barrel exposed is not the normal pattern - or, at least I don't think so. The one I used to carry had stock right to the top?

The shortened forestock is an "aftermarket" modification. I Helen could show a closeup of the point here the barrel extens from the wood I think it would show signs of being reworked. The Boers, being predominantly mounted, would want a lighter carbine type weapon.

[helen]

Yes, the wooden undercarriage beneath the barrel has been intentionally shortened, there is evidence of chisel marks - I will take and post a photo when I get a chance. Although presumably a carbine model is already pretty short and wieldy so not sure why they needed to lighten it any more.

As for the story of this weapon, a member of the gunboard forum got back to me to say that the mark on the button on the bolt suggests issue to the 9th Queens Royal Lancers who played a big part in the relief of Kimberley and various other episodes in Cape Colony in 1899-1900. The information with this gun claims it was captured from the Boers in 1902, so presumably this was a 'recapture', perhaps a year or two after the Boers got their hands on it from the battlefield in one of these earlier engagements, and modified it.

As for Judge Hugo, I couldn't find many refences apart from this one from Conan Doyle's account of the Boer War:

"The re-establishment of settled law and order was becoming more marked every week in those south-western districts, which had long been most disturbed. Colonel Crewe in this region, and Colonel Lukin upon the other side of the line, acting entirely with Colonial troops, were pushing back the rebels, and holding, by a well-devised system of district defence, all that they had gained. By the end of February there were none of the enemy south of the Beaufort West and Clanwilliam line. These results were not obtained without much hard marching and a little hard fighting. Small columns under Crabbe, Capper, Wyndham, Nickall, and Lund, were continually on the move, with little to show for it save an ever-widening area of settled country in their rear. In a skirmish on February 20th Judge Hugo, a well-known Boer leader, was killed, and Vanheerden, a notorious rebel, was captured. At the end of this month Fouche's tranquil occupation of the north-east was at last disturbed, and he was driven out of it into the midlands, where he took refuge with the remains of his commando in the Camdeboo Mountains. Malan's men had already sought shelter in the same natural fortress. Malan was wounded and taken in a skirmish near Somerset East a few days before the general Boer surrender."

Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Gr...War/Chapter_35

Apparently it was not unusual for the Boers to personalise their rifles as, once issued, they were theirs. So presumably the 'DVH' are the Judge's initials but no idea what the D and V stand for...I looked up the Dutch for 'judge' and it didn't fit!

[Tom Y]

Yes, the wooden undercarriage beneath the barrel has been intentionally shortened, there is evidence of chisel marks - I will take and post a photo when I get a chance. Although presumably a carbine model is already pretty short and wieldy so not sure why they needed to lighten it any more.

The carbine as issued had a full stock.

I imagine the "ears on the front sight and the cleaning rod would be brush catchers, too.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Helen - on the bolt grip - it is very hard to make out details - I don't see any direct links with a lancer regt. - the 'X' usually means sold out of service - but in this span of time seems unlikely.... Tom's point is very valid re cutting down - but why ? In many Countries after WW2 there were so many old .303's that they were cut down to use as hunting weapons - but this early??? The other point is that the Enfield was not common - at the time of the Boer War it was the Lee Metford - later it became the Lee Enfield when it was made at the Enfield armouries - I think Lee was the inventor. Perhaps someone with more firearms knowledge could confirm this - or, put us right ???

[Chris Boonzaier]

Fantastic rifle in every respect and maybe the one I would be the most eager to own of all Boer rifles as i have the medals of a friend of his.....

To make this more fun for me... :-)

Read the writeup about Cloete (2nd group on this thread...) to set the scene.... it is indeed a very, very, very interesting period...

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3093&hl=Cloete

Many (in fact probably most) Boers were using Enfields in this area. Regter (Judge) H.J. Hugo was one of the raiders in the Cape Colony and they relied on what they could steal from the British as far as weapons, ammunition etc went.

Shortened stocks was not unusual, the famous photo of De Wet with the reconditioned Mauser also shows a shortened stock.

Hugo was an ex member of "THE" elite of Boer units, Danie Therons Reconnaissance section with Cloete (Medals above). He led one of the groups of Raiders in the Cape and was with Malan (once again, see above) in the fight where he was wounded.

(See the parallels to the Cloete group who was also standing next to Malan)

On the 17th of Feb Malan, Hugo and 13 Boers were attacked at Oorlogsfontein (Near the Drie-Susters railway station). Malan was wounded and they defended themselves until the rest of the Malan kommando arrived to break them out. Regter Hugo was seriously wounded and they had to leave him behind at a farm. A few days later the Brits arrived and captured him, he died (of his wounds) as they transported him to the nearby village.

I have an account of the action somewhere...... I assume the guy who captured the rifle actually took it from Hugo a couple of days after te actual fight.

PM me your email address for a larger version of the picture...