British Contract Colt New Service .455 Webley WWI Revolver/AEF service

[varifleman]

Here for your viewing pleasure is Colt New Service .455 Eley (Webley) revolver serial number 126149 which was 1 of 500 shipped to the London Armoury Company on December 26, 1916. It had an interesting service life with British Army markings, C154 marking (maybe rack number) and AEF marking on butt plate. The close-up photos to show close-up of AEF (American Expeditionary Forces) and faint US flag cartouches on grip and British military crossed pennants and broad arrow markings.
(From "Borrowed Soldiers, Americans Under British Command , 1918 " by Mitchell A.Yockelson) When General Pershing was asked by the British and the French to amalgamate small units of American soldiers into his allies armies to relieve their depleted manpower, he refused, as he and President Wilson believed that only through the actions of a separate and autonomous American army could the United States achieve its political and diplomatic goals. Pershing accommodated the British by "loaning" them the 27th and the 30th Infantry Divisions, organized into II Corps. This book is the story of those divisions, how they were raised, trained and fought under British and Australian tutelage. The AEF soldiers were equipped with British small arms and accoutrements and that's probably how this revolver wound up with the AEF. What do other forum members think?

[RH1941]

Very nice

[Anderson]

It's got a British (and Commonwealth) "Sold out of service" mark above the trigger, (the S and facing arrow heads). Meaning it was sold to the public and left military service. I'm not sure where that would fit into your narrative. Might suggest it stayed in the UK and was sold after the war to the public.

[varifleman]

Hi Anderson; that sounds like a plausible explanation to me since many of the WWI/WWII did remain in the UK and were sold off as war surplus.

[Rescue190]

Nice pistol with a long history. Anderson is correct about the markings.
John

[varifleman]

George: You have a wonderful example of the Colt .455 model. The markings leave no doubt it was issued to members of the AEF. Do you have any specific questions for us to research?



Jerry Schmidt, volunteer

Edward Jones Research Center Attendant

National World War I Museum and Memorial

2 Memorial Drive| Kansas City, MO | 64108

Desk: 816-888-8142

research@theworldwar.org

[MAP]

What a nice piece of history. The AEF connection is great