Military firearms in colonial Western Australia 
99 
Figure 30 The breech of the arm illustrated in Figure 29, showing the stand number and the "W A" mark denoting 
Western Australian issue. (Photo D. Elford). 
and other identical arms were marked on the 
breech of the barrel with "W A" and the stand 
number. The "W A" was struck with a single two 
letter die punch. "W A" and the stand numbers 
were also struck on the left side of the butt, but 
now the letters "W A" were surrounded by a circle 
containing the words "Commonwealth of Australia 
Mily. (military) Forces" (see Figure 28). Stand 
numbers noted have been in the 2000 - 3000 range. 
These arms are not marked to units so it is not 
possible to identify specific issues. 
Army General Order 289 of 16th February 1903 
and General Order 15 of 20th January 1904 give the 
requirements for marking Commonwealth arms. 
The regulations give the example "A over 10 over 
A.I.R." (A Company, 10th Regiment, Australian 
Infantry Regiment), 177 which for W.A. would be "A 
over 11 over A.I.R.". Arms have been noted 
marked this way for eastern states regiments but 
as yet none have been noted for W.A. In 1905 W.A. 
received around 600 Short, Magazine Lee-Enfields 
Mark I (W.A. Museum W87.1). 178 These arms were 
marked in an identical manner to the Magazine 
Lee-Enfields of 1903 (see Figures 29 and 30), and 
also do not have the "A.I.R." markings stipulated 
in the 1903-04 orders. The SMLE Mark Is were 
issued in 1905-06 with stand numbers from 1 - 
600, those noted have all been below 600. Other 
than state ownership marks there is nothing to 
indicate specific unit issue, the brass marking discs 
on the butts being left unmarked. 
The Boer War period and the rapid expansion in 
the number of men and arms ushered in the era of 
modern armies and National Service. It was the 
Figure 31 The butt marks of an early Commonwealth period War Office Pattern .22 inch training rifle. The marks 
indicate issue to the Citizen Military Forces of the 5th Military District, i.e.. Western Australia. (Photo D. 
Elford). 
