Graham

I have recently bought a Mills rifle grenade No.36 complete with the base plate ready to be fired from a No.1 discharger. It raises a few questions: was the 'safety pin' an ordinary split pin used for many other non military uses or a special pin, and was the 'safety pin ring' the same as an ordinary split 'key ring'? Finally anybody got a comment on the legality of making a 'No.1 Discharger' for fitting on to a deactivated SMLE Mk.III*?

Apologies. I was commenting after over 40 years dealing with politicians and self serving officers in local government. Perhaps more of us should have challenged each stupid policy they presented for implementation. Sorry if I pointed at the wrong target but someone must be producing these ideas like sending our tanks to Germany and others making it work?

Excellent modelling - takes me back to the modelling I did but never as good as this one. Also thank you for the link to alpineminatures - amazing what is 'out there' on the web. Cheeers.

Sorry I don't know who you are but I like your style.

I do think that sometimes we are served very badly by our civil servants, just look at PFI. So how can it be cheaper to move all these very heavy expensive tanks acroos the Channel to a, presumably, another climate controlled and secure shed in another country than keep them here in the UK? Someone must be expecting a huge amount of money from redeveloping the site especially in this financial climate - are there 'real' developers wanting to buy the land or is this another 'fantasy idea' by mandarins on ivory towers?

Thanks chaps - I am the 'stupid boy'

What astonishing work - brilliant. I assumed the models were at a large scale then I noticed the cutting board, I have one of those and now see the scale. Congratulations.

Did anyone watch an early episode of 'Dad's Army', in black/white, on Friday night? Bit sad I know of me to notice but it showed our pals using a Lewis gun and what seemed at least No.4 or possible No.5 Lee-Enfields, someone will be able to correct me. Added to that Corporal Jones was waving around a 16" Remington bayonet on his Enfield. Must have had friends in high places for them to be issued with the latest, and possibly, future weapons I bet they would have had MkIII* like mine.

Isn't that the Kodak girl?

I would like to congratulate you on your enterprise. Please don't worry about making a replica - it would obviously wrong to pass it off as genuine - but as someone who likes to build bikes with different engines and specs we should be free to replicate anything for the joy of it. Also since many 'original' machines are either too precious or worn out to be paraded you are demonstrating a machine in action and moving to those of us who did not or could not see the 'originals' in action, which is the best way to enjoy them.

I totally agree - it was an excellent programme somewhat spoiled by the trip to Hamburg - there was some reassessment by Ewan and the veterans who pointed out that the judgements made in the hell of war should not be judged by those of us who did not live thro' those times. One veteran spoke a simple truth "they started it". If the Nazis were that concerned about their own people they could have stopped the war. No it is typical of politicians, then and now, to be more concerned with their own reputations than recognising and praising the job done by Harris and his bomber crews. I suppose we should be grateful that 'we' are at last building a monument to them, sadly, after many of the few survivors have died without recognition. For those interested in the horrors of being an air gunner, as demonstrated by Ewan, I recommend the 'Air Gunner Collection' at the wonderful 'Yorkshire Air Museum', Elvington, near York.

Thanks for the information. I suppose the programme will tell me more about the McGregors but it would be interesting to know if one of them is a pilot?

Thanks for the information. The adjustable windage part is integral. The main rectangular bar is slightly reduced in width to allow the small 'carriage' greater movement from side to side driven by the thumb screw. Windage calibration is in "1/32nds on the main bar and a single scribed mark on the 'carriage'. Hope this helps.

None in 'Costa de Chorley' bit of fog early and sun out now. Sadly freezing fog this morning stopped going to the Preston Arms Fair near Accrington (?). It would nice to have a 'big toy' to play with in the snow? Perhaps not jobs tomorrow.

More advice please - how is the 44.5" measurement taken? From the end of the barrel to the butt plate or from the bayonet boss to the butt plate? I ask because I have a butt with a small 'S' stamped on it which could make it a 'short' butt 0.5" (half inch) smaller than the 'normal' butt. The bayonet boss is about 0.5" long. Also out of interest to anyone wanting to know my 1917 MkIII* backsight has 'windage adjustment' not usually found on a MkIII*. All spec information from Ian Skennerton's 'Small Arms Identification Series'.

That is amazing - do they want any more helpers - fantastic. It may be small but the Stuart is certainly a cobby tank - it would frighten me - also great videos.

Just received a sling for the SMLE and used the helpful instructions to fit it 'properly' BUT on mine the rivets at each end face different ways - what am to do?

Not just MVs, in the biking world the asking price for 'ordinary' motorbikes is going up - may be the same - the papers are telling investors to buy old vehicles - seems the wrong reason to own an old vehicle and haven't we been here before with BSA Bantams being stored in centrally heated garages. Perhaps time for me to cover my old Royal Enfield WDCO in bubble wrap? No!

What have I started! As if life isn't complicated enough!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to get the unmarked sling I have bought on eBay - may need a few hours to fit it though Cheers

Yet again this excellent very knowledgeable contributors have come up with the answers. Bearing in mind my limited budget it seems my best option is to buy an unmarked WW2 webbing sling. Interesting that despite the horrors of war we ordinary blokes could be concerned about our 'image' - 'nowt as strange as folk'.

"Collected my new project yesterday, a 1943 Ford GPW with lots of 'f' marks. It was on Evilbay three times I think, and failed to sell, so I contacted the owner about a week after the auction to see if it was still available, and it was." Trying to learn all the time I assume from what you write that 'f' marks are a way of determining if a GPW is genuine. I note on your later posts that the 'f' is the like the F in Ford, are all the major items marked in this way? Sorry if a very basic question but it would be interesting to know. Cheers.

Following on from my getting a SMLE, I would like a sling. Chatting to a helpful stall holder at last weekends Stockport Military Fair I said there seemed to be a shortage of WW1 slings, my thinking being that it was odd there seems today to be more rifles that slings? He replied that when the slings get damaged and that when the rifle was returned to the armourers for re issue usually it needed a new sling since the new 'owner' would not want a sling covered in blood or worse or just dirty, therefore a lot of slings could have been used for each rifle. Interesting thought. Anyway I would still like a webbing one if any one can point me in the right direction to buy one. WW1 leather slings seem very expensive.

Hi Please explain, apart from buying the High Command a few pints, how the 'rank' of contributors to the forum are calculated? I am quite happy to be a lance corporal but in idle moment I did wonder how it all worked. Cheers.

Welcome to the forum from a Lancashire bloke. I regularly visit the Somme but I have promised myself a trip to Normandy one year so thank you for the information about what looks like a very attractive and interesting place to stay. Cheers.

Thanks for that. The staple seem a bit crude as a fixing compared to the excellent work on the scabbard especially the leather stitching. I do like this forum a lot of helpful and knowledgeable contributors. Next I want a bayonet frog and sling for the rifle. Will try at the 'do' in Stockport this weekend. Have you seen the "WW1 20 Round Magazine Pouch for SMLE" on eBay, starting price £200!