Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History RAF West Kirby

That's an impressive history you got there Chris.
I'm guessing you missed my last line about 9mm's. They actually can penetrate a wet blanket really.

LOL, don't know how I missed that.

Remind me not to mess with Chris. I must take you to task on one thing you said and that was the Bren was highly inaccurate? I always found the LMG very accurate and old soldiers said the same of the Bren. In fact it was too accurate at times hence the introduction of the GPMG (Gimpy) to spread the rounds a bit more?

Yours confused of Wallasey.

The Bren wwas actually replaced by the GPMG as it was too acurate. These weapons are both light support weapons so therefore a wider kill zone was needed.Some units of the royal marines still used the Bren up until recently .The gpmg was also developed into a sustained fire role which believe me is awesome and lethal it can hit a target up to 1km away as long as you have the right grid reference.

OK, guys, I guess I should have said I was inaccurate with the Bren! It's just that after a well fettled SMLE with a properly floated barrel, it was always a disappointment.

I am trying to picture a convoy of Moggie Minor Travellers, each one bristling like a Super Fortress....

They DO have the load bearing capacities mate, but not the required altitude!!

I live on the estate commonly known as the RAF houses just by what was RAF West Kirby... last year we had a large part of the garden removed to level it off... and when we were removing the earth, there were loads of old cartridge cases...I will go out and dig one up a bit later and post a pic.. maybe someone could tell me what they were from...

Please do. I'm expecting them to be .303. A closeup of the lettering (the headstamp)would be useful as well as the whole thing.

The Lee Enfield 303 was the standard forces issue rifle at the time so as Chris says i expect the will be .303.

99% chance they will be .303, difference is between the Rifle round and the Machine gun round!
Nice weapon the Lee Enfield, i have an SMLE and a MK4, all nice date stamped. I also have a Bren (.303) and 9mm Sten (`T` stock)
I have a German K98 Mauser, ww2 dated and used to own an M16 converted to fire .22!!!
Heavily into collecting militeria, have done since i was 6, over 30yrs ago now!

Someone has slipped up. Supposed to be collected for the scrap

"I have no live rounds or empty cases in my possession, SIR!"

I had one of those, re-chambered & barrelled to 7.62mm. The Mauser action was far superior to the Lee Enfield.

Took a pic of my car there and didnt even notice how bads that




Have nothing but respect for are fallen heros

Yeah, nice smooth actiion, not as "clunky" as the Enfield! I like the .303 tho cause i have LARGE hands and the woodwork is chunkier, i can get a better hold and it sits nicely for me!
Ive seen a few rebored to the 7.62, NATO round, commonly used in the Kalashnikov AK47.
Ive seen the Lee Enfield also converted over and even to 10 guage, shotgun!