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Enfields in Queue: Austria

gendarmerie (“gen·dar·me·rie) noun

 

A gendarmerie is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term gendarme is derived from the medieval French expression gens d'armes, which translates to "men-at-arms" (literally, “armed people”).

 

Austria procured a limited number of Enfields immediately after WWII (1939-1945) for use by provincial police. The buttstock marking disc is often marked O.G. (Osterreichische Gendarmerie) with a unit number; we have also noted that many of these rifles have the top wood fingers around the backsight removed.

 

We have seen at least one published report are that all of the Osterr marked rifles were made during WWII (whether SMLE or No.4's, they don't say). These samples in our collection suggest that the Osterr rifles came out of storage.

 

Lee-Enfield rifle unit markings - Austria

Rifle 138
SMLE No.1 Mk III. SSA (Standard Small Arms Company) 1916. All matching numbers (bolt, receiver, barrel, backsight, forestock and nosecap). Marked OSTERR GENDARMERIE on the knox form. TWO-DIGIT SERIAL NUMBER indicates this was one of the first 99 SSA rifles delivered. Interestingly, this rifle in a Mk III - with a magazine cutoff, rather than a Mk III*, as are all the other 1916 SSA rifles we have encountered.
Lee-Enfield rifle unit markings - Austria

Rifle 152
SMLE Rifle No.1 Mk III. BSA 1915. Matching numbers (bolt, receiver, backsight, forestock and nosecap). Marked OSTERR GENDARMERIE on the knox form. Rebarrelled 1931. Windage adjustable backsight with target swivel. New brass buttplate virtually new. This rifle in a Mk III - with a magazine cutoff, correct for 1915 BSA production, rather than a Mk III*.
Lee-Enfield rifle unit markings - Austria

Rifle 167
SMLE No.1 Mk III*. Ishapore 1932. Numbers match. Buttstock which shows some wear, metal has about 65% original finish, stock shows usual dings but not excessive. Missing unit disc and stacking swivel; Osterr Gendarmerie on the knox form. Buttstock nicely ISA marked.