[bones92]

The bayo arrived, and it's a very nice Lithgow dated 9 '42.

The grip has "...TRALIA" stamped on it, but the AUS part would have been stamped on one of the grip rivets... odd they didn't watch where it was being stamped. Also has SLAZ 42 stamped on the grip wood.

Scabbard is decent, not marke MANGROVITE though. Blade is nice, overall looks nice and unmessed with.

Should go perfectly on my '42 Lithgow No1.

Oddly, I made arrangements for the bayo before I knew about the rifle...

 

[jrhead75]

It's always nice when a plan comes together...especially when you didn't know you had a plan in the first place.

 

[bones92]

I had to laugh a bit today as I realized that I had, in fact, got the accessory before the rifle! Reminds me of the stories I read about on GB where guys find a really hard-to-find sling or other accessory, so they naturally go out and find the rifle to put it on.

I'll post some pics when the bayo arrives. Is this type of Lithgow bayonet fairly common?

Also, what is a "proper" sling for a 1942 Lithgow No1 MkIII*? (i.e. web sling, but what color? etc)

 

[SlimTim]

I got a Lithgow marked bayo & scabbard from another g'boards member at the Chattanooga show Memorial Day weekend. (Thanks Pilk!) I'm thinking I may have already had one Lithgow P'07. Another forum member has promised me he'd trade me one he has when I can find something he wants in trade. I'll still be way short of having one for each Lithgow #1 Mk III in the accumulation.

My best buy on a P'07 bayo was a Vickers attached to a matching 1915 Lithgow that also came with a 300 round sealed can of '40s or '50s dated .303 ammo, all for $150. This was 2-3 years ago at a Knoxville show. Wish it'd happen again!

SlimTim

 

[bones92]

...This was 2-3 years ago at a Knoxville show. Wish it'd happen again! SlimTim

I bet you do!

That would be a great find, Tim. Didn't realize you walked on the Enfield side of the street, too!

Don't worry, I won't tell Vic, Tuco or Ted.

 

[woftam]

Bones,
That should be marked OA, not VO. I suspect your orientation is out. Have a good look for a crosspiece on the V when you get it. And the scabbard should be brown and have Mangrovite written on it somewhere.
Sounds like you were meant to have the set.

 

[bones92]

Got the rifle today

Got the 1942 Lithgow this morning from a local guy. Here's the skinny...

Renumbered on the knox form, matching the bolt, but not matching the original serial still intact on the top of the socket.

Stock has the appropriate markings... MA Lithgow... SMLE... HV... 1942, etc.

Further forward on the butt (not pictured) is what I assume are FTR-equivalent stamps... R... MA.. 7 45 ... assume that means it was FTR'd in July 1945?

Bore is a nice 5-groove. Traces of green paint around the buttstock. I assume the wood is coachwood, right?

I notice the rear sight protector is not routed out on the one side like I've seen on other Lithgows. Also, what are appropriate marks for parts that may have been replaced in FTR? (i.e. did Australia use any parts that were available, including those off UK-made rifles? How often did Aussies use non-Lithgow rifles?)

Finally, my first Lithgow!

 

[jrhead75]

The number on the receiver ring is an inventory or property number. The number that matches the bolt will be the s/n. If the bolt's factory original to the rifle, there's be another number stamped under the bolt handle that'll match a number on the upper R/H shoulder of the buttsocket.

As I understand it, the "R MA 7/45" stamp is a return to stores mark, could mean anything from an inpection only to a complete FTR job. One of the Aussies could probably shed better light on that. Later FTR markings were stamped on the L/H side of the buttsocket.

The routed out bits on the rear sight protector (both sides) was a lightening measure on early rifles, dropped during WWI. Some have it, some don't. The Aussies used a lot of British rifles and the parts thereof. Some of early Lithgow production was sent to England at the start of WWI to help make up for shortages. The Brits sent back British made rifles as repayment once they got caught up. A couple of my favorite SMLEs are British made rifles that spent their careers under the expert care of Aussie armorers.

Beautiful Lithy by the way...

 

[bones92]

Hey jrhead! You nailed it!

Jrhead75, you were spot-on. The number on the shoulder of the socket matches the number on the underside of the bolt handle (a number I may have never noticed if you hadn't mentioned it).

What's even better is that there is " 88 " painted in yellow on the underside of the cocking piece, matching the brass tab in the pictures.

I can only surmise that while in service or in cadet issue, the bolts may have been kept separate during storage from the rifles. Either way, I'm very pleased!

I'm hoping the '42 Lithgow bayonet is in original condition. If so, it will be a very nice complete set.

I do notice the forearm of the No1 is mismatched, but it's not a big deal.

Thanks for the gouge.

Semper Fidelis

 

[woftam]

Bones,
jrhead has pretty well covered it. The only bit I would mention is that the I don't think the Brits sent us their rifles when the production caught up. Rather at the end of the war they just bundled up the appropriate number of rifles and sent them to Australia.
I can't speak for in service but certainly in my Cadet Unit the bolts were always stored separately. I would guess the brass plate and yellow 88 are a cadet thing.
Nice rifle.

 

[Wagga Screw]

The brass plate would be a rack number and the yellow "88" would be for quick reference when issuing the bolt for the rifle. Easier to match up the rack number than go looking for complete rifle numbers. Nice find.

 

[bones92]

Bayo arrived. Yep, '42 Lithgow. Sometimes it all just comes together.

Now if I can just find an Aussie web sling.

 

[Wagga Screw]

Gday Bones.
If you have a Canadian sling it would be entirely appropriate to put it on as a lot of our 37 patt webbing was sourced from Canada during the war.

 

[bones92]

Wagga, I have one of those mystery "S.S.H. LTD 1942" slings with the C-arrow marks. I figure at least the date is right.

 

[Wagga Screw]

Well there you go, job done Mate.

 

[bones92]

But aren't there web slings with Australian markings (and dated 1942) that I could hope for? I normally don't obsess about accessories, but having a correct dated Lithy bayo makes me want a Lithy sling.