108 
G.B. Trotter 
noted bearing the initials of th Albany Defence 
Rifles. The initials were brands _ or deeply cut onto 
the left side of the butt. Thi initials are "A D R 
over number". Another twr Martini-Henrys have 
been noted as being marked on the left side of the 
butt "M R V over number" and on the opposite 
side with the stand number repeated. These 
markings open up the possibility that other 
Martini-Henry arms also were marked to 
individual corps. If this individual marking by 
corps was widespread, then there must still be a 
considerable number of identification markings 
waiting to be recorded by arms researchers. 
Another mark noted on the Martini-Henrys are the 
initials "W.A.D.F." within a circle. These are the 
initials of the W.A. Defence Force and are thought 
to have been applied in or after 1893, when the 
Defence Force came into being. The Martini- 
Henrys are known to total at least 574, and stand 
numbers noted on the W.A.D.F. marked arms, 521 
and 529, support this figure, but in doing so 
another question is raised. It has been seen that 
Martini-Henrys were issued throughout the Force 
generally, with some corps marking their own 
arms. From the specimens examined it is apparent 
that some individual corps each numbered their 
particular stand of arms from one upwards. The 
Albany Defence Rifles and the Metropolitan Rifle 
Volunteers totalled about 200 men at the time the 
Martini-Henrys were issued, indicating 200 rifles, 
therefore it is difficult to see how the W.A.D.F. 
marked Martini-Henrys, noted to have stand 
numbers in the 520s, could bear such numbers if 
they also began at one. From these three groups of 
stand numbers it would be possible to identify 
stands of Martini-Henrys totalling in excess of 700, 
which is contrary to the annual Returns total found 
of 574. It is clear therefore that the marks and 
numbers of the Martini-Henry group of arms is not 
as yet entirely clarified. 
The commencement of the procurement program 
of .303 inch small-bore Martini arms began in 1895 
with the issue of 700 Martini-Metford Mark I W.A. 
Pattern rifles, at which time the simplified 
ownership mark "W A over number" was adopted. 
This mark was applied to the wood of the right 
side of the butt of all arms with individual letter 
and numeral punches. The "W A" was separated 
from the numerals below them by a thin horizontal 
line which was never used on any other W.A. 
colonial arm. The Martini-Metford Mark Is were 
marked "W A 1-700". The Mark IIs which followed 
in 1897—98 are believed to have followed the 
practice of numbering all arms by "type" or 
"make", thus the 200 Mark IIs are thought to 
number "W A 701-900". No specimen of the Mark 
II has been found and most, if not all, are known to 
have gone to South Africa with the Third and 
Fourth Boer War Contingents. (See Trotter 76 pp. 
303, 312). The .303 inch rifle procurement program 
continued with the receipt of 900 Martini-Enfield 
Marks I (and II?), W.A. Pattern rifles in 1898. A 
small lot of these arms were immediately issued to 
the Geraldton Rifle Volunteers and the W.A. 
Artillery at Albany. The marks of the Geraldton 
issue arms are thought to have been "WA over 
number" (possibly with a "D" suffix), while the 
Albany issue arms are known to have been marked 
"W.A.A. over number". The remainder of the 
Martini-Enfields were marked "WA over number 
over D" and seem to have been issued exclusively 
to the W.A. Mounted Infantry Contingents to the 
Boer War, between 1899 - 1901. These arms were 
augmented by further purchases of 200 in 1900 and 
50 in 1901. The total number of M-Es purchased 
was 1150 and the stand number range noted (20 D, 
40 D, 750 D, 783 D, 806 D, 1043 D and 1057 D) 
indicates that about 1100 of these had the "D" 
suffix. A small quantity of M-Es have been noted 
without the "D" suffix, (stand numbers 23 and 34), 
suggesting around 50 arms. Both of these arms are 
Mark IIs dated 1900, suggesting that they may have 
been the last 50 received in late 1901, and therefore 
possibly not issued to the W.A.M.I. It is thought 
that the "D" suffix is linked to the W.A.M.I. only. 
It can be discerned from the illustrations that the 
style of letter punch used in the marking of the 
letters "W A” on the .303 inch Martini butts varied, 
although in most cases it remains consistant within 
the "type" lot being marked, especially the Martini- 
Metfords. The location of these letters and 
numerals however often varies from butt to butt 
within the "type" group, suggesting idiosyncratic 
differences between workmen. The method used 
was the stamping of the letters and numerals with 
individual punches. Within the Martini-Enfield 
group the predominating style of letter and 
numeral punches and their location on the butt is 
typified by that shown in Figure 15. The style and 
size of letter and numeral punches used within this 
group does vary however and this variation is 
typified by Figure 26. 
At this time at least c.251 -284 old W.A. Defence 
Force Martini-Henrys were converted in Perth to 
become Martini-Enfield Mark I W.A. Pattern rifles 
These rifles were undoubtedly converted by a 
gunsmith named William Needham, using parts 
supplied from England. He was "Armourer to the 
Forces" from 1893. These W.A.D.F. Martini-Henrv 
rifles were not re-marked when they were 
converted, as those noted have retained their old 
W.A.D.F. stamp and stand number unaltered. 
During this period, 1000 Magazine Lee-Speed 
rifles were received. They were marked on tire butt 
"WA over number", with stand numbers from 1- 
1000. They were issued exclusively to the local 
forces, none going to the contingents. These rifles 
were all marked with individual letter and 
