ordnanceguy
Member
Gentlemen:
While looking for something else I ran across this one, and thought I would get it out for a few pics as it is one of the rather scarce Australian contract Pre-Victory British Service Revolvers. 8000 of these revolvers were purchased for Australia by the British Purchasing Commission.
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When WW2 Australian Smiths are encountered by American collectors today they are typically somewhat later production Lend Lease guns that went through the FTR rebuild process in the 1950s, have phosphate re-finishes and were imported back to the USA in the 1990s. They are interesting and historical guns but good examples are not tough to find.
This one is not a Lend Lease gun. Rather, it was a direct purchase and was shipped August 4, 1941 to Sydney, Australia.
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It is serialed 808741. With its original blue finish it is also somewhat unusual in having no Australian property markings. It also bears none of the post-war commercial proof marks which so often deface British and Empire guns. It must have returned to the USA before 1968 because it shows no importer markings either.
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The factory letter tells the story.
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Seen here with it is what I am going to call an Australian private purchase holster. Well constructed and with edge lacing it was made in Australia. It fits the 5 inch revolver perfectly.
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The maker was one G. V. Edgley, whom I believe was Gerald Vivian Edgley. He lived in Townsville, a city on the north coast of Australia which was the site of major Australian and Allied military bases, including US bases. Townsville was attacked and bombed three times by the Japanese. It is worth remembering that the Japanese came very close to cutting the supply route from the USA to Australia. That changed with Allied victories in 1942 at the Battle of the Coral Sea and a place called Guadalcanal.
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A private purchase holster like this may have been necessary if the P-37 web holsters were not available. This one shows slots on the back for a leg strap which has gone missing.
The holster bears the inked initials BFM on the loop but no other identifiers can be seen. Thus, we are left to speculate as to what service this holster might have provided and how it came to end up here in the USA. I purchased it many years ago.
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Mated with the revolver I think they make for a nice pair. They serve to remind us of the mortal danger which faced our Australian ally in 1941-42 and the vital role that Smith & Wesson revolvers played in that world wide conflict.
While looking for something else I ran across this one, and thought I would get it out for a few pics as it is one of the rather scarce Australian contract Pre-Victory British Service Revolvers. 8000 of these revolvers were purchased for Australia by the British Purchasing Commission.
When WW2 Australian Smiths are encountered by American collectors today they are typically somewhat later production Lend Lease guns that went through the FTR rebuild process in the 1950s, have phosphate re-finishes and were imported back to the USA in the 1990s. They are interesting and historical guns but good examples are not tough to find.
This one is not a Lend Lease gun. Rather, it was a direct purchase and was shipped August 4, 1941 to Sydney, Australia.
It is serialed 808741. With its original blue finish it is also somewhat unusual in having no Australian property markings. It also bears none of the post-war commercial proof marks which so often deface British and Empire guns. It must have returned to the USA before 1968 because it shows no importer markings either.
The factory letter tells the story.
Seen here with it is what I am going to call an Australian private purchase holster. Well constructed and with edge lacing it was made in Australia. It fits the 5 inch revolver perfectly.
The maker was one G. V. Edgley, whom I believe was Gerald Vivian Edgley. He lived in Townsville, a city on the north coast of Australia which was the site of major Australian and Allied military bases, including US bases. Townsville was attacked and bombed three times by the Japanese. It is worth remembering that the Japanese came very close to cutting the supply route from the USA to Australia. That changed with Allied victories in 1942 at the Battle of the Coral Sea and a place called Guadalcanal.
A private purchase holster like this may have been necessary if the P-37 web holsters were not available. This one shows slots on the back for a leg strap which has gone missing.
The holster bears the inked initials BFM on the loop but no other identifiers can be seen. Thus, we are left to speculate as to what service this holster might have provided and how it came to end up here in the USA. I purchased it many years ago.
Mated with the revolver I think they make for a nice pair. They serve to remind us of the mortal danger which faced our Australian ally in 1941-42 and the vital role that Smith & Wesson revolvers played in that world wide conflict.
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