Smle

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Tim Lovelock

I was at the Imperial War Museum in London recently, unfortunately I didn't get to ask a curator this question about their exhibit.

You were probaly right to take their caption with a grain of salt, although in this case they were in fact correct.

There is a large museum in Qld that I won't name (to save them embarassment) that you need to take their exhibit captions with a 25lb bag of salt.

Some howlers include a .310 Martini Cadet with clearly displayed manufacturing date of 1911 on it, with an interpretive panel next to it explaining that these rifles were taken to the Boer War by Australians because the .310 cartridge had better range than the .303 used by the British. And then there is the 1911A1 Colt pistol they have in "38mm Calibre". When I asked a museum volunteer to elaborate on these (and several others!!) interesting points, I was told that there are many interesting facts in military history that are not widely known by the public, and that is why museums such as this one were important. Would I care to leave a donation in the cash box by the door to enable them to continue their important work? My reply: "Would I????"

[Mike Cecil]

There are lots of museums and displays with similar 'problems' (including the AWM), Tony, and I've found a range of attitudes if you try and suggest a review.

The CWM has a woeful display of how an 18pdr shrapnel round works, plus a couple of 'positional' mix ups with display captions, but having written to the director suggesting changes, my letter was answered with a big fat nothing, and the last time I visited, the misleading display remains the same. Oh well.

Mike

(This if probably getting off this thread's topic, of course: maybe it deserves a different thread: 'Display Blunders I have Seen'??)

[Matt Austin]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

...And then there is the 1911A1 Colt pistol they have in "38mm Calibre"...

Say goodbye to your wrist when you pull the trigger on that thing!

[Mike K]

SMLE wrapped in 1955

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3neXf7jPfss

[Ed Storey]

That youtube video reminds me of an Egyptian mummy unwrapping that was a common party theme by the wealthy during the Victorian era. I know there are many out there who disagree, but from my perspective, this video is just as thoughtless and shortsighted as there cannot be many NOS SMLEs still in their original wrapping. In their defence, at least the Victorians had little idea of what they were going to find when they unwrapped their bundle; whereas in this case the label was pretty clear.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

That youtube video reminds me of an Egyptian mummy unwrapping that was a common party theme by the wealthy during the Victorian era. I know there are many out there who disagree, but from my perspective, this video is just as thoughtless and shortsighted as there cannot be many NOS SMLEs still in their original wrapping. In their defence, at least the Victorians had little idea of what they were going to find when they unwrapped their bundle; whereas in this case the label was pretty clear.

1) In a perfect world a collector would buy two of those Irish contract rifles, one to unwrap and one to keep mummified.

2) I expect a purist might say that, while a No.4 is shorter than a Long Lee, it isn't technically a 'Short, Magazine, Lee Enfield.

3) All those Victorians who morbidly meddled with mummies are now cursed along with their descendant's forever.

[Mike Cecil]

I agree with you both.

In a perfect world, an example would be left wrapped and conserved in a publicly-funded museum collection as an example. Unfortunately, even then, there are no guarantees. I am aware of an M3A1 SMG 'grease gun' still in its original WW2 sealed box that was cut open to check the serial number which was already visible on the label.

Mike

[Ed Storey]

Perhaps what is needed is a publically funded museum run by purists!