Enfield-Stuff

I do not know which story these guys want me to tell you. You may not have noticed, but the Portuguese did serve on the Western Front during the Great War (1914-1919). The Portuguese did not want to get involved in the war; they were courted by both the British and by Germany, mostly because both sides wanted access to the naval refueling (coaling) stations on the Atlantic. The Portuguese wanted to protect/preserve their colonies in Africa, especially Angola. Finally, the Brits gave them an ultimatum – either join the Allies or Britain would take the Portuguese African colonies at war’s end for “protecting” Portugal. (In other words, no free ride.) The Allies did not want Portuguese troops; they did need some of their newer artillery and, most importantly, to deny the Imperial German Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) access to Portuguese ports.

 

Meanwhile, in Portugal there were major political upheavals between the Royalists, the fascist/democrats and the Catholic Church. The government, anxious to save face, did not want to let go of the artillery and need to distract their opponents. Conscripts, mostly illiterate peasants, were packed off to the fighting – and once there, largely abandoned by the government, which did not provide adequate winter uniforms, supplies and food. Officers posted to the front went home on leave and never returned. The men simply endured.

 

A complicated story that you do not read about – because what little information is available is in Portuguese. There is a lot written about the post-war rise of fascist/authoritarian leaders – Hitler (Germany); Mussolini (Italy); Franco (Spain) come readily to mind. Salazar (Portugal), who lasted almost as long (1974) as Franco (1975) skates beneath the radar.

 

As to the rifles –Portugal has had a long and cordial relationship with the Royal Navy. At least one of these rifles is Naval Academy marked. I do not know if these are Navy rifles, Naval Academy rifles, Portuguese Marine Corps (Portuguese language: Corpo de Fuzileiros , meaning literally "Corps of Fusiliers") rifles (see Damao markings, below) – or something else. If nothing else, it is a nice collection of 1916-1918 SMLEs, good condition, matching numbers.

 

Looks like I am going to have to work on my Portuguese.

	Rifle 092 1916 BSA Mk III*. Marked to the Regimento Gil Eanes. Gil Eanes, sailing out of the port of Lagos, Portugal, is the first to round Africa's Cape Bajodor (south of the Canary Islands) in 1433.
	Rifle 111 SMLE No. 1 Mk III*. RSAF Enfield 1917. Marked to the Damao Regiment of Portuguese Colonial Marines. The Damao Regiment was one of the units used to garrison the Portuguese enclaves in India - specifically Damao (now called Daman). In 1961 - in "Operation Vijay" - the Indian Army took these enclaves by force. This weapon might be one of those captured at either Goa or Damao during that operation. Overall, 90%, bore VG (sharp and bright). Wood VG with typical small dings and dents. Matched (bolt, receiver, barrel, sight, nosecap, and forestock). No import marks.
	Rifle 141 1916 BSA. Marked to the Regimento do Bernardo Dias. Bernardo Dias was one of the disciples of Prince Henry and a great 16th century navigator.
	Rifle 142 1918 BSA. Marked to the Regimento do Diego Fernando. Diego Fernando was one of the disciples of Prince Henry and a great 16th century navigator.
	Rifle 145 1918 BSA. Marked to Regimento do Sado. The Sado is a river in Portugal and is also the name of an island off the coast of Japan once occupied by the Portuguese.
	Rifle 147 1917 Enfield. Marked to Regimento do Vouga. The Vouga is one of Portugal's major rivers.
	Rifle 158 SMLE No. 1 Mk III*. RSAF Enfield 1917. Marked on the stock disk "Escola Naval" (Naval Academy). This is the marking of the Portuguese Naval Academy established in 1522 by Pedro Nunes. It became the Royal Naval Academy in 1848 and the Naval Academy of the Portuguese Republic in 1922. The rifle is also "N" marked on the left side of the receiver and on the tang of the buttplate indicating that it started out life in the British Royal Navy and was transferred to the Portuguese Navy - probably in the early 1920's. Overall, 95%. Wood is VG. Matched (bolt, receiver, barrel, sight, nosecap, and forestock). No import marks.