Great War SMLE Sniper Rifles with Aldis scopes--photos needed

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by TTH, Dec 29, 2016.

  1. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    This is a bit of a cry for help. I am doing some research into the various types of sniper adaptations of the SMLE. The Great War caught the British Army poorly prepared for sniping, and a wide range of commercial telescopic sights were hastily mounted on the SMLE to make up the shortfall. The most common sights were the Prismatic Prism, the Winchester A5, and the Aldis. The Aldis was difficult to adjust for windage, but taken all around it was probably the best of the bunch. Anyway, I am looking for good color photos of SMLEs fitted with Aldis sights on the Purdey offset mounting. I have found a number of photos on the internet, but none of them are entirely adequate. If anyone here has any pictures which are better than those then I would be very very grateful to see them. Many thanks.
     
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  2. ClankyPencil

    ClankyPencil Senior Member

    Apologies for the bad scan, but this is the only one i can find of that combination of scope, mount & rifle.

    It's from the book : Out of Nowhere - A History of the Military Sniper by Martin Pegler
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    I'm still in need of others showing the whole of the weapon, but I'm grateful for anything. Thanks a lot.
     
  4. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

  5. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    A little bit, thanks.
     
  6. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    I appreciate everybody who looked on my behalf. Anyway, I have found some excellent photos of an SMLE Mk III with an Aldis scope on a Holland & Holland mount. Here they are:[​IMG]
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    Beautiful, no?
     
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  7. muqingfeng

    muqingfeng Member

    Hello friend did the British army in Burma have any equipment in 1942
     
  8. riter

    riter Well-Known Member

    TTH - is that yours? Auction House quality photos.
     
  9. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    No, I wish it was mine. The photos are indeed from an auction house/seller, can't recall which one. I am still looking for good photos of an SMLE with an Aldis scope on the Purdey (Purdy?) rather than the H&H mount.The stock had to be cut back a little to fit the Holland and Holland, not so the Purdey.
     
  10. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    Any equipment...do you mean sniping equipment? I don't know. If they did have sniper rifles there I doubt they had many, since that theater was not high on the priority list for equipment. The 8th Australian Division had some No. 3 (T) rifles in Malaya in 1941-42. The No. 3 (T) was the P-14 Enfield fitted with an Aldis scope. It was the standard British sniping rifle until the appearance of the No. 4(T) later in the war.
     

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