Enfield-Stuff

Marked to Royalist paramilitary forces fighting the communists in the Greek Civil War. The war started in 1944 when the two principal Greek guerrilla forces that had resisted Nazi Germany's occupation—the communist-controlled National Liberation Front–National Popular Liberation Army (EAM-ELAS) and the Greek Democratic National Army (EDES)—came into conflict after EAM-ELAS set up a provisional government that rejected the Greek king and his government-in-exile. When Germany withdrew from Greece in 1944, the communists and royalist guerrillas were brought together by the British in an uneasy coalition. Because the communist guerrillas refused to disband their forces, a bitter civil war broke out in late 1944 that was put down by British forces. After elections that the communists did not participate in, the Greek king was restored to his throne. In 1946 a full-scale guerrilla war was reopened by the communists. Both Britain and the U.S. began supplying the Greek democratic forces. Large quantities of SMLE's, No. 4's, and P-14's were supplied by the British and were issued to anti-communist paramilitary militia. After a bitter and brutal war in Greece's northern mountains, in 1949 the communists announced the end of open hostilities. An estimated 50,000 Greeks died in the conflict, which left a legacy of bitterness still felt to this day. These rifles are marked on the receiver to a Royalist Militia who served against the communists.

 

Most of the Greek rifles we have seen are marked with a delta (triangle) on the knox form above Greek letters.

	Rifle 123 SMLE Rifle No.1. Mk III*. BSA 1942. Nice dispersal rifle with Greek markings. They are EK/SEOS and a crude delta on the receiver.
	Rifle 146 Rifle No.4 Mk I 1943. Another EK/SEOS rifle. Wood is VG with the usual nicks and dings of service. Matched numbers - bolt, receiver, barrel, and forestock.
	Rifle 219 Rifle No.4 Mk I. Savage 1943. This piece is marked on the receiver to a Royalist Militia ΕΚП/ΩΣ who served against the communists. Overall, the piece is 90% finish. Wood is VG with the usual nicks and dings of service. Matched numbers - bolt, receiver, barrel, and forestock. All components are correctly "S" marked. Not import marked.
	Rifle 250 This one drove me crazy for a while, until I remembered that the croix formee (also called a cross pattee or Maltese Cross) was used by the Greeks prior to 1914. After that, it was obvious.   Rifle No.4 Mk I*. Savage 1944. Marked with the Maltese Cross of the Royal Hellenic (Greek) Army. EXTREMELY RARE markings. Rifle is pretty-pretty-pretty. About 95% blue phosphate finish. All correct parts. Probably best Savage I have ever seen.