Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I still have , and use, the shoe cleaning brushes that I had at school, with my maiden name and house number written along the side!

I'm npt sure I should admit to this --- but -------
When I joined the CCF ( recently converted from the OTC) we were issued with rhe full WW1 uniform, including puttees ans broad webbing belts, brass buttons and "Coats" it was much later , when we got Battle Dress, and changed our SMLE Rifles for No 4s
The SMLE --- Short Muzzle Lee Enfield --- for the un-initiated, was a wonderful rifle, designed for accurate fire at anything up to 1000 yards, one could really SHOOT with this, the No 4 was designed for close quarter use --- abot 200 yards, a "6 inch nail" Bayonet, as opposed to what amounted to a "Short Sword !"
but of course, much lighter and cheaper !

Fjgrogan wrote:I still have , and use, the shoe cleaning brushes that I had at school, with my maiden name and house number written along the side!

Still got my polishing brush as well.

Good brushes go on forever.

Beg to differ about the rifle, My day came a touch after yours and I clearly recollect the rifles in the armoury all being SMLE with 1917 or 1918 stamped under the bolt. Not that I ever got to fire one, only to drill with it.

postwarblue wrote:Beg to differ about the rifle, My day came a touch after yours and I clearly recollect the rifles in the armoury all being SMLE with 1917 or 1918 stamped under the bolt. Not that I ever got to fire one, only to drill with it.

You surprise me.

We regularly fired .303's on the range, AND I was in one of the two Bren groups. Now that IS beautiful weapon to fire.

There was ammunition for the stens in the armourary, but they were considered too unreliable to use for live firing.

Honest --I have used both the SMLE and the No.4, on the range, whilst at CH.

I am not surprised about the Sten Guns -- designed for Resistance use ---- it didn't matter so much if they lost a little finger !!
Later models had a little bracket to prevent the little finger slipping in front of the automatic "Re-load !
Even LATER models had a wooden butt, and a FORESIGHT !
Being "In the Trade", I managed to get hold of one of these, to win the 1st Division Sten Championship. (Cheating !!!)

J.R. wrote:We regularly fired .303's on the range, AND I was in one of the two Bren groups. Now that IS beautiful weapon to fire.

There was ammunition for the stens in the armourary, but they were considered too unreliable to use for live firing.

Saw the stens themselves but didn't know there was ammo withing 100 miles. I also fired the brens - they had a reputation of spraying bullets over a wide angle but I didn't find that.

Were you around when the MOBAT was there? That used a hard mounted bren for aiming and ranging; it had to have been a one shot weapon.
Also handled without firing a 2inch (?)tiny little mortar and a shoulder mounted rocket launcher; I suspect that that was at CCF Summer Camp at Aldershot. That was the year when a CH CCF cadet set off a fire extinguisher inside a tank; the CO was "not pleased"!.

J.R. wrote:

postwarblue wrote:Beg to differ about the rifle, My day came a touch after yours and I clearly recollect the rifles in the armoury all being SMLE with 1917 or 1918 stamped under the bolt. Not that I ever got to fire one, only to drill with it.

You surprise me.

We regularly fired .303's on the range, AND I was in one of the two Bren groups. Now that IS beautiful weapon to fire.

There was ammunition for the stens in the armourary, but they were considered too unreliable to use for live firing.

Ah.. the fun of the Bren. To qualify as a real user you have know 'what was the dog's delight?'

Corrections.
1. Neill.

...Short Muzzle Lee Enfield...

Ahem! The correct name was "Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield."
Note the commas. See http://www.rifleman.org.uk/The_Rifle_Sh ... nfield.htm
2. Sejinetenj.

"...I also fired the brens - they had a reputation of spraying bullets over a wide angle..."

I find that very surprising as in my experience the Bren was always considered too accurate for an LMG - its one and only fault.

I stand corrected ----

I always thought it referred to the Muzzle, as opposed to the No.4 which had a longer projection from the fore-guard.
I agree, entirely, about the Bren, which WAS accurate, if used with the reccommended burst of 3-4 rounds ------ a long burst DID tend to lose it's accuracy.
The great advantage was the concealment of an automatic weapon, by the use of the single shot mode.

I suspect that the "Hertford Ladies" have gone to sleep !!!

The Bren was highly accurate with a slight 'forward' re-coil rather than a big kick back.

It was the Sten that was used for room clearance. Highly innacurate, but very useful when dashing into a room. You didn't 'aim' it - You 'sprayed' with it.

Mass produced. Very cheap and cheerful. The Marquis loved it, allegedly !

The Marquis of where? The Maquis surely?

Yes ! --- very "Rough Stuff" ----

englishangel wrote:The Marquis of where? The Maquis surely?

Perhaps they dashed in and sprayed about when entering a Marquee, to empty the place quickly?

by the time i was there in 80's outdoor range had been shut due to footpath behind it when a national review of ranges was carried out. We drilled with the 303's using drill rounds (don't know type but mine was dated pre WW1) and uses 22's in the indoor range behind Peele converted for single shot with no magazine.

I was RAF but the army section still drilled with the Bren and there was a mortar although i believe deactivated - there was no ammo for the bren known of.

The school ccf missed the slr completely and went straight to SA80's as i left i think. Also the signals section had clansmen radios before the TA in horsham did and 1 microwave dish (how useless is that). O'Meara used to do a wonder getting extra stuff by "donating" old ww2 era radios to inspecting officers private collections as he had a vast stock - if memory serves correctly they were called something like a "type 22" radio. Also all the big radio's got stickers on them warning of the radiation source due to the luminous dials