Tag Archives: Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders

Of Banned Shooting Positions and Great Rifles

Posted on by Leave a comment

Some 80 years ago today, in recently liberated Holland. “A sniper demonstrates the superior ‘Hawkins’ prone firing position (right) next to another in the standard position, at the 21st Army Group sniping school near Eindhoven, 15 October 1944.”

As detailed by the photo card in the Imperial War Museum penned by Sgt. Carpenter, No. 5 Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit, who took the image: “The Hawkins position was barred at Bisley after the originator won all the prizes using it. It is NOT barred in warfare!”

IWM (B 10972)

In the above, note the snipers’ tam o’ shanters or “tammies” complete with the badge of the 5th Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, while their rifles are scoped Lee Enfield Number 4 Mark 1(T)s with the “T” for Telescope.

As noted by CaptainStevens, some 24,708 No.4 (T)s of all kinds were produced for the Commonwealth forces during the war, with most being BSA-made guns converted by Holland and Holland and subsequently fitted with the No. 32 MK I Scope and Mount from late 1942 well into 1946, a superb weapon that was later developed into the L42A1 sniper rifles that remained in service until 1992!

An excellent example of a late-WWII British Enfield No.4 Mk I (T) sniper rifle fitted with the correct and matching No 32 MKIII scope Via RIA https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/70/2559/world-war-ii-british-no-4-mki-t-enfield-sniper-rifle#detail

Before the No. 4 (T)s creation, a variety of WWI sniper rifles were in use. These included:

  • Ross MK. III sniper rifle with Model of 1913 Warner & Swasey Musket Sight (sniper scope) or Winchester A5 scope for Canada
  • Pattern 1914 Mk. I W (F) [renamed in 1926 No. 3 MK. I (F)] with “Fine” iron sight
  • Pattern 1914 Mk. I* W (F) [renamed in 1926 No. 3 MK. I* (F)] with “Fine” iron sight
  • Pattern 1914 Mk. I* W (T) [renamed in 1926 No. 3 Mk. I* (T)] with Model 1918 scope
  • No. 3 Mk. I* (T) A with Aldis scope. 421 were converted by Alex. Martin in Glasgow

As for the Hawkins position, it is still banned at Bisley except for the McQueen C (classic) match, which, appropriately, is restricted to pre-1945 sniper rifles– sans optics, of course.

RIP Sir Thomas Macpherson

Posted on by Leave a comment

In the British Army, the Military Cross is rather hard to get. Its the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and men after the VC and the DSO. Comparatively, its the same as the U.S. the Silver Star Medal. If you can imagine a warrior brave enough to earn one of these, image one who earned two. Well, Sir Thomas earned three in addition to three Croix de Guerre (two Palms and Star), and several Papal and Italian medals during the Second World War.

Macphersonshorts_3099747c

Only 19 when he joined the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders (TA) unit in his home county, he later volunteered for the Commandos and soon found himself making all sorts of waves “somewhere behind German lines”  in Greece, Africa, France and elsewhere.

On one occasion in North Africa in 1942, Sir Thomas and “three comrades embarked in the submarine Talisman and were landed in folbots (folding canoes) near Apollonia. For two successive nights the submarine failed to return to the arranged rendezvous and the men set out to walk to Tobruk. The party had no food, water, maps or adequate footwear and were dressed only in PT shorts.

After they split up, two of the group were captured by the Italians. Macpherson and a comrade reached the outskirts of Derna, where they sabotaged a telephone exchange. It proved to be a bad mistake; they were traced and picked up by an Italian patrol.

During his interrogation, one of the patrol brought in his unloaded Colt automatic and asked him to explain how it worked. Macpherson showed him by loading a spare magazine, which he was still carrying, and holding up his captors…”

He has passed away at age 94. His obit in the Telegraph is most interesting.

Pro rege et patria…