My second Canadian Military S&W

RangeRover

RangeRover

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I'm only an infrequent poster here, but having been helped greatly by others here with questions regarding my Victory 38/200 I'm back now to ask about (well, proudly show off might be a better description) my newly-purchased Second Model Hand Ejector in .455. Pictures are the seller's as I await transfer and delivery, but I have handled the firearm and am pretty pleased. It shows what I would describe as honest wear - enough that I'll feel quite comfortable shooting it, and the bore is great. It also bears the appropriate military acceptance marks.

S/N is 304##. I don't know where that fits production-date wise. Once I've got it in hand I'll seek a letter from Mr. Jinks to try to find out more.

IMG_9320.jpg


As a plus it'll come with a 1916-dated holster, and a story (I paid for the gun, but didn't pay extra for the story).

Apparently it belonged to a Canadian soldier who gained a field commission during the Great War. His initials are gently scratched into the bottom of one of the grips, and etched into the inside of the top flap of the holster. Said soldier also received the Military Cross for some of his actions, and the revolver also comes with the miniature set of his medals - the full-size set having stayed with his family.

IMG_9323.jpg


I'm awaiting more info on the soldier so I can research/verify, but even if the tale is tall, I've still got the revolver.

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Range Rover,
That is a great post. I hope you will post further details as you unravel the story of your fine revolver. To be awarded the M.C., the soldier must have done something very extraordinary.
 
national archives

Range Rover, nice nice gun! Very nice to have the story to with it. I am in the process of researching one of my 455's and got the soldiers entire service record from Ottawa. I believe it was $28.00 for the whole thing.Call 613 996 5115 or 866 578 7777. Believe it or not,,,,, some very helpful folks there. I would say that I was no more than 3 weeks getting everything. It may be that your man has not had his info into the program yet but give them a try. You will need as much info as you can provide but hopefully they will be able to help. Keep us informed!!!!! What part of Ab. are you from?
Brian, Nova Scotia
 
Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I'm looking forward to getting both the .455 and the soldier's name and initial background so I can get started on verifying the story and, yes, I'll provide any updates when I can.

Briand...I'm in Calgary and will be using the national archives once I've got his regimental number, etc.

Ideally, I'd love to get a photo of him in uniform, wearing the sidearm, so I could build a shadow box containing the photo of him in uniform, the medals, and a photo of the .455.

Has anyone done anything similar they could share photos of?
 
455 history

RangeRover said:
Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I'm looking forward to getting both the .455 and the soldier's name and initial background so I can get started on verifying the story and, yes, I'll provide any updates when I can.

Briand...I'm in Calgary and will be using the national archives once I've got his regimental number, etc.

Ideally, I'd love to get a photo of him in uniform, wearing the sidearm, so I could build a shadow box containing the photo of him in uniform, the medals, and a photo of the .455.

Has anyone done anything similar they could share photos of?
Click to expand...

Hi Range Rover. My son lives in Calgary. Next time I'm out I will let you show me this great find. Very very nice to have his medals!!!!!! One of my 455's I have traced from Fred. N.B. to Vancouver where the officer settled after WW1 where he became a Dr. I have a photo of his graduation from Oxford but can't manage to find a family member to find a photo of him. All I need is more time!!!!! ha
 
Kudos to you gentlemen for your research and documenting history.
 
More HE details (long post)

IMG_9462.jpg


Well, here's the requested follow-up on my original post about my .455 HE 2nd Model, which apparently belonged to a Captain in the Canadian Engineers in the Great War. I have obtained more information about both the .455 and the young officer who carried it.

It has been an interesting and enjoyable search for this additional information, and I hope no one minds if I share the results. The Library and Archives Canada, the Royal Canadian Engineers Museum and their historians, and family members were all very helpful, and it's amazing what other information you can find on the Internet once you are able to pull a thread loose.

Here's the short form, pulled from the package I got from the Canadian archives.

The young man originally attested (enlisted) as a private in the CEF in late November in 1914, at age 21. He was originally assigned to the 27th Battalion, in the Canadian 2nd Division. That battalion sailed from Canada, interestingly enough, on the RMS Carpathia (formerly of Titanic fame -[thanks MG]). Canada was creating its own engineering corps, distinct from that of Britain, and as our young soldier was a civil engineer before the war, he joined the ranks of this nascent organization early in 1916, becoming part of the 3rd Canadian tunneling company.

He was promoted from the ranks to Temporary Lieutenant in July 1916, and was transferred to the 1st Canadian Tunneling Company. This is when he would have been issued the .455. Gassed in November of that year, he was Mentioned in Dispatches in December 1916.

He was promoted Temporary Captain in May 1918 and transferred to the 8th Battalion, Canadian Engineers. His work with them in conducting reconnaissance for the Engineers near Vis-en-Artois in August 1918, where "working continuously for twenty-four hours under shell and machine gun fire, he examined dugouts for mines, and located wells and tramlines, sending back most important information" was acknowledged with the awarding of the Military Cross.

Staying in France after the Armistice, he was felled by the Spanish Flu and eventually demobilized in early 1919.

Next, thanks to my letter from Mr. Jinks, I know this revolver was shipped on December 16, 1915. It went to Remington/UMC – agents for the British Government. This raises the only question I have about the firearm that perhaps somebody here can clear up. How did a Canadian officer wind up with a British-marked revolver? (There are no Canadian proofs). As his promotion from the ranks and, thus, his need for a revolver, came later in the war, the only assumption I can make is that he was not the person to whom this sidearm was initially issued, and revolvers were assigned from stores as available.

Since acquiring the revolver, his medal miniatures and the holster, I have acquired a Sam Browne and lanyard, as well as a WW1 Canadian Engineers cap badge, and via the previous owner, was able to secure a photograph of the Captain in uniform, from one of his family members. All of the issues of the London Gazette, which posted supplements announcing promotions and honours are searchable online, so I was able to grab those as well. I'm now matching the soldier's movements against the official history of the Canadian Engineers. In for a penny…

One final thing (if you're still reading this), is that the revolver works flawlessly. I had a chance to get it out to the range just this past week (along with my new .38 S&W Victory), and was able to run some Fiocchi through it. Great fun, although I need to get used to the sight picture created by that huge blade sight on the front and match that up to the contemporary ammo. That'll be fun too.

Pardon the long post, but while this gun can't talk…I'm very excited at the bit of a story I've been able to pull out of it.
 
Last edited:
RangeRover,
An excellent post indeed, thank you for sharing your revolver and hard work.
 
"That battalion sailed from Canada, interestingly enough, on the RMS Carpathia (later of Titanic fame)."

The Titanic sank in 1912, two years before the war.

That's great that you were able to acquire so much info and a picture of the Captain as well. Congrats.
 
Marvelous post. Thank you for the very obvious effort you put into this documentation.

Everyone here has an insatiable appetite for threads like this, so never hesitate to do an update. If it is not too much of an imposition on your time, we would love to see detailed pictures of all the markings.
 
Very well done, Range Rover! Your report was a pleasure to read and is motivating me to continue my own search for more information on the original owner of my .455 H.E. First Model,
Lt. Alexander Fraser, C.E.F.
My ambition is to also obtain a photograph of Lt. Fraser in uniform
preferably wearing his revolver.
Again, congratulations on such fine research, RR!
 
RangeRover,
I also have been researching a WW1 .455. Mine belonged to a Temp Captain in the RAMC who also was awarded the Military Cross and was once "Mentioned in Despatches". One of the things I have found is that there were two ways to get the MC. One was for a conspicuous.act of bravery and these will usually have the citation posted in the London Gazette (if you can find it.) The other was to have it awarded on the King's Birthday celebrations. These were given for outstanding service. As there was no single act of bravery there is no citation in the LG.
I'm not really up on researching Canadian records, but it looks like there are several others here that can help you out. One thing, I think your man should have one additional medal. The 1914/15 Mons Star was issued to anyone that was under fire at the front at the times he was there. The Brits have what they call a MIC (Medal Index Card) that shows the medals awarded. I don't know if the Canadians have something similar.
 
Thanks for catching my chronological mis-step MG; post corrected]

Muley Gil said:
"That battalion sailed from Canada, interestingly enough, on the RMS Carpathia (later of Titanic fame)."

The Titanic sank in 1912, two years before the war.

That's great that you were able to acquire so much info and a picture of the Captain as well. Congrats.
Click to expand...
 
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