Darwin war history
The Ross rifle. It loaded five rounds rather than ten. The bayonet fell off during firing. It was heavy, long, and prone to jamming because of dirt, of which there was plentiful supply on the trench warfare-dominated battlefields of the war. It was truly one of the worst guns to grace the battlefield. Following an argument over rifles in the Boer War, the Canadian Ross rifle was born. Canada, as a Dominion of the British Empire, decided to produce its own service weapon. The result? The disastrous Ross rifle, which was produced from 1903 to 1918. Sir Charles Ross, an advisor on small arms to the Canadian Government and a rich landowner in Britain, designed the Ross rifle and offered it to the Canadian government. The design was accepted and the rifle went into production in Ross’s own factory. Although it was a 303 calibre, bolt-action, magazine-fed design, similar to the superb Lee-Enfield 303 then equipping Britain, Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the Empire, the Ross Rifle was not nearly so capable. There were many problems with the rifle and variations on the design were implemented to correct them. By the start of the Great War, a Mark III (1910) version was in service with the Canadian forces. However, the problems persisted.
In its defence, the Ross could be fired slightly faster, had better sights, and was a little more accurate at long range. But these minor advantages were not enough in the often-chaotic world of close quarter infantry fighting, where reliability was all. The Ross Rifle was really a hunting weapon.
The defects resulted in political infighting back in Canada between its supporters and detractors. By 1916 the supreme commander at the Western Front, Sir Douglas Haig, ordered that the Lee-Enfield rifle replace the Ross in all three Canadian divisions. wwII history
2 Comments
16/5/2019 15:15:32
One of the most vocal and fanatical defenders of the Ross rifle was Sam Hughes, the Canadian Minister for Militia and Defence. He refused to accept any criticism of the weapon, and even stated in Parliament that the Ross was so popular that “the Canadian soldier has to sleep on it or the British soldier would steal it from under him.”
Reply
rlefebvre@axion.ca
25/6/2020 21:29:09
I was lucky enough to find a rare Ross model 1905 rifle U.S. in a fine + condition ( best rifle I ever add to my military collection ) As for the Ross bayonet with all of its markings from the date to all the variety of different conversions, plus all those fantastic unit markings, one can actually follow its path in WW1.( RARE) Bob Lefebvre
Reply
Leave a Reply.Darwin Military Museum
|
We would love to have you visit soon!
Location click on the red maker to find us
Contact Us
|
Follow us on Facebook!
|
Darwin Military Museum
OPENING TIMES & TICKETS
Please note: We are closed on the 25, 26, 27, 28 December 2020 and 1 January 2021
OPENING TIMES 7 days a Week
10am - 3:30pm Monday - Sunday
We recommend you allow at least 1.5hrs
for your visit.
ADMISSION FEES & ONLINE TICKETS
ADULTS (16 years +): $20.00
CHILDREN (5 - 15 years): $10.00
CHILDREN (under 5 years): FREE
NT SENIORS (65 years +): $10.00
TERRITORY PASS is available to NT residents
DMM Membership (Friend of the Museum) - Only available for purchase online - One year entry and 15% off merchandise including the cafe - $25
INTERSTATE/INTERNATIONAL SENIORS (65 YEARS +): $15.00
FAMILY PASS (2 ADULTS, 3 CHILDREN U16): $45.00
UNIVERSITY/TAFE STUDENT: $10.00
CARER OF PERSON WITH A DISABILITY: $12.00
SERVING MILITARY MEMBERS: $15
SCHOOL GROUPS: Northern Territory students on excursion
Students 16 years and under during school hours: $2.00 per student
1 adult per 10 students: FREE
EXTRA ADULTS: $18.00
SCHOOL GROUPS: Non-NT students on excursion
Students 16 years and under during school hours: $10.00 per student
1 adult per 10 students: FREE
EXTRA ADULTS: $18.00
Please note we are closed on Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
For hotels nearby, check with HotelsCombined