Out in the Cold: Australia's involvement in the Korean War - Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mark III*

Weaponry and communications

Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mark III*

The SMLE No. 1 MkIII* was the standard personal weapon of Australian troops in Korea. Reliable and accurate, the Lee Enfield had first entered service with the Australian Army in 1908 as the Mk III, and had been carried by Australian soldiers in both world wars. The SMLE was a manually operated, bolt-action weapon. It fired .303-inch calibre ammunition that was fed from a ten-round detachable magazine. This magazine could be quickly reloaded while still on the weapon by the use of five round charger clips (see image). A well-trained soldier could fire up to 15 aimed shots per minute, which included reloading the magazine. It's effective range was approximately 3,000 metres; however, it was rarely used for distances over 1,000 metres. The SMLE could also be fitted with a bayonet with a 43 cm blade.

Accession Number: HOBJ2070

Private Alf Lees reloads his SMLE No. 1 MkIII* rifle with a charger clip while his mates from B Company, 3 RAR, give covering fire to another section pinned down in front of a Chinese position. HOBJ2070