Australian Home Guard

Discussion in 'World War 2' started by spidge, Jul 5, 2010.

  1. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    Hearing of the British home guard training with wooden rifles etc, I came across this while reading up on our first General, Sir Henry (Harry) Chauvel. Sir Harry Chauvel was recalled to duty as Inspector in Chief of the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) (at the age of 75), the Australian version of the British Home Guard.

    The officers training with Owen Guns.

    Chauvel_Home Guar&.jpg
     
  2. Cobber

    Cobber New Member

    If my memory is right??? I think many AIF and other Aussie formations used wooden rifles during initial training at start of both world wars. This picture of the officers with Owen Machine Carbines could of been taken later in the war as the guns would of been sent to front line infantry type units first and would of arrived in the VDC units much later after production was at levels capable of sustaining such weapons in theatre.
    I think it was a shame that they were not built with the .45ACP rounds which were the original round that the Owen Gun was to use, however with Army diddle daddling they were forced by Govt to choose quickly and the Army for some reason unknown to me went for 9mm even though the .45ACP rounds were widely availabe. They also built prototypes with 9mm, .45ACP and .38-200 rounds.
     
  3. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    I have not heard of the wooden rifles. Got any info. I found out not long ago that we sent Owen Guns to Britain as well as .303's. Had not heard that before.

    Funny enough, I am thinking of purchasing a new Lee Enfield however the median price of $1400 is a bit pricey.

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  4. Cobber

    Cobber New Member

    I only just remember some references from the Australia in WW2 Official history books, and some AIF Btn official histories.
    I will however have a search and see if i can find some references for you.
    The magazines for the SMLE's; I have heard that their were five (5) round magazines and ten (10) round magazines for SMLE's , I know the ten (10) round ones were used by Aussies in both wars, who would of used the five (5) round weapons?

    My old dad had two Lee Enfields they now belong to my uncle who uses them regularly on the range as well as elsewhere including my sister's and her hubby's farm in the far (sic) north western Mallee country of Victoria (25,000 acres) shooting pigs and the like.
    Dad and me used to take them out regularly, this was back in the day before the gun laws were changed. Mum sold them to uncle Bob a few years after dad died. by this stage all of us kids were living in the cities and it was before my sister married a farmer, so we had little use for them and mum was worried that someone might break in and steal them.
     

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