84 
G.B. Trott, 
er 
Figure 11 The ownership marks of the Metropolitan Rifle Volunteers, stamped into the left side of the butt of a 
Martini-Henry rifle, Mark II. The initials are "M R V over 96". (Photo Author). 
scabbard number was 23. Like the Pattern 1853 
Enfield and Snider bayonets, the Martini-Henry 
bayonet is impossible to allocate to a corps unless 
an arms register is found. 
In 1895, as A and B companies of the 1st Infantry 
Volunteer Regiment, the corps numbered only 65 
men who were armed with the new Martini- 
Metford .303 inch rifles. 75 The Martini-Metfords 
issued to this unit were part of 700 Martini-Metford 
Mark I (W.A. Pattern) rifles which were ordered in 
1893 and arrived in July-August 1895 per the S.S. 
Nairnshire. 76 These arms fixed the Pattern 1888 
sword bayonet and were simply marked "W A 
over number" on the right side of the butt, 
omitting the prefix "V", the letters and numbers 
being separated by a thin horizontal line (see Figure 
13). The rifle in Figure 13 is from the W.A. Museum 
Collection (T298). 
This corps was absorbed by the Western 
Australian Infantry Brigade as the 1st Battalion m 
1900. They were then issued with 229 of the 1000 
Magazine Lee-Speed .303 inch repeating rifles 
ordered and received in 1900. 77 The Lee-Speeds 
also fixed the Pattern 1888 bayonet and were 
marked on the butt simply "W A over number" 
(see Figure 14). 
The Fremantle Rifle Volunteers were established 
in 1872 under Captain Sutherland. A letter from Lt 
Col. Harvest to the Colonial Secretary on 18th 
March 1873 states that part of their accoutrements 
were made in the Convict Establishment at 
Fremantle. 78 Again, on the 19th Harvest writes to 
Figure 12 The stand number 96 , is repeated in large numerals on the right side of the butt of the Metropolitan Rifle 
Volunteers Martini-Henry Mark II, illustrated in Figure 11. (Photo Author). 
