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CMHS Home
PPCLI in WW1
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Uniform and GearWeapons
The ROSS Rifle- first issued to PPCLI when left Canada in September 1914.
The S.M.L.E. No.1 Mark 3It was lighter and handier than the long Lee-Enfield. Used .303 ammunition and had the desired clip feed facility (or “charger loading”, as the British termed it) and possessed an excellent set of open sights.
The Lewis GunThis was the beginning of the Light Machine Guns for the infantry, (although initially termed an automatic weapon or rifle) the Germans adopted a slightly lighter version of their water-cooled Maxim machine gun to fill the same role in their army. The Lewis gun was in .303" caliber and was air cooled. The action worked on a gas take-off system which operated the bolt and locking mechanism. The magazine was a radial device fixed to the top of the gun, carrying 47 rounds. The air-cooling was assisted by some aluminum fins which were almost the length of the barrel. Together with the housing of the fins this added considerably to the weight of the weapon. 10 round magazine (.303) for the SMLE No.1 Mk 3 rifle. |
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