SMLE Unit disk help needed

[Nitram]

I've recently put down money on SMLE No1 Mk III, L.S.A 1916 and need help identifying the unit markings on the ID Disk.

"ED 159" Google has been no help, though I found this handy list British and Dominion Armies – Glossary and Abbreviations that may be useful to someone else.




Could anyone point me in the right direction?

[Ben Evans]

Have a look at this site, not had time to look through for you as busy but it may help

Unit/Regiment Markings

[Nitram]

Great site! Bookmarked for future reference, alas nothing about "ED"

[m3bobby]

I suspect this is a later addition as its not to the normal format. Its most probably a local marking, after the brass marking discs became obsolete most armouries marked their rifles in some way with an individual number rather than use the serial.

[Feuerbach]

Very interesting! I have a SMLE relic thats been hanging on the wall for years, and never gave that little disc a second look.
I know where this rifle was found; it was dugg up in 1999 in the village called Boezinge, not far from Ypres. It was 3 meters deep, way to deep for any normal detector, but there was contruction going on there (new industrial zone), and the big escavators had removed 2 meters of the top soil.
Loads of relics were found, untill some diggers found graves and the whole area was sealed of.
Any way, I have this SMLE from that site, still with the bayonet fixed.
Does the disc also have information about its origin?

[m3bobby]

25 Company Royal Engineers rifle 139, no idea of the T

[m3bobby]

Just had a look and 25 Company were a wireless company so perhaps the T is an abbreviated WT for Wireless Telegraphy?

[Feuerbach]

Just cleaned it up a little, and it appears to be 225 instead of 25. Could the T stand for troop?
Could even be a Tunnelling Companies RE! Im searching the net myself now, very interesting. And Ive had that rifle hanging here for years, and never thought of looking at the disc!

225th 'Stockton-on-Tees'

39th Division from November 1915. Raised in Marton Hall, Yorkshire??

The Field Companies RE of 1914-1918

[Nitram]

A thought occurs, maybe it's an inventory number, ED standing for Enfield, 159 being the rifle inventory number?

[m3bobby]

I'm no expert but the T is unlikely to be troop as that would appear lower down the disc. The T will be part of the RE. Perhaps for Tees but probably not. Send an email to one of the engineers museums, they will likely have a better idea.