Thread: Tracking service record from a serial number

I'm currently sitting on an MLE rifle for a friend of a friend, he's curious to know if he can find who it was issued to and where. Is there any chance of finding this info? I can't even see any NZ markings.

Originally Posted by tommygun

I'm currently sitting on an MLE rifle for a friend of a friend, he's curious to know if he can find who it was issued to and where. Is there any chance of finding this info? I can't even see any NZ markings.

Very simple answer. No way at all with just what you tell us is available....

Originally Posted by tommygun

I'm currently sitting on an MLE rifle for a friend of a friend, he's curious to know if he can find who it was issued to and where. Is there any chance of finding this info? I can't even see any NZ markings.

You would need to post photos of markings and stamps. Skennertons 'the broad arrow' is a good reference or post images on the milsurp site. The guys on there are the world authorities on anything Enfield related

Way back, peace time regular forces may well have kept issue registers but they would have been local base records rather than part of national archives. WW1 saw the end of such bureaucracy. Back in the early '60's we lined up at Burnham Camp on our first day and were issued our No4 .303's which we racked beside our beds. SLR's were still fairly new and were only issued on a daily basis for training and range use. No records were ever taken.

The late Robby Tiffin knew what number blocks of the then new MLEs went to Gallipoli .

I remember him showing me some of the records he had.