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'Way back in the mid 1970's, IL was able to rescue the illustrated commercial MLE from the clutches of a dealer in the State of Victoria. The main attraction was the very nicely engraved butt plaque:
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At that time, it was not possible to delve into the identity of the owner - more of that later.
The rifle itself came out of the shipping box with a mottled pattern of rust. Fortunately, the rust had not cut the metal surface and IL's trusty formula of hot oil and very fine steel wool soon restored the rifle to something like it's former glory. Deep Rust Blueing certainly held up better than the later stuff. In contrast, the woodwork needed only a wash with mild detergent to show it's grain and tone..





For the technically minded, the rifle illustrated was made by Birmingham Small Arms and acknowledged the patents of messers Lee and Speed. The breech is marked "CORDITE only" (a wry smile from IL: keep your Black Powder loaded .303 rounds away!) and the rifle has a functional but beautifully made target sight on the barrel - barrel marked "Westley Richards & Co., Best Target Barrel". The dust cover is engraved "Westley Richards Patent Bolt Head".
Some hard scrubbing of the bore revealed that it was neglected but possibly shootable. Some time later, the Durose rifle was put through it's paces from prone at 200m with modern ammunition - and it grouped at less than eight inches for ten or so rounds. Recoil was very mild, the 'drag pull" one stage trigger was no handicap and the feed was flawless.
In time, the Durose rifle and others had to go and a couple of years ago, IL was delighted to hear that it had come into the possession of a shooting colleague. The current owner gave pernission for it to be photographed for this site - thanks Damon!.
IL's trusty CD giving the names, etc., of IY chaps was then consulted and we find that our F.W.Durose was "7308 Private of 16th Coy., 5th Bn,I.Y.". As his return from SA was in 1901, he would have been a member of the First Contingent.
7308 Pte F.W.Durose must have been well thought of in his circle; the illustrated "Best" target rifle would have cost upwards of fifteen or twenty pounds in 1901.
What a beautiful rifle!
IL.

IL
It is indeed a beautiful rifle! Thank you for showing it!
Regards
Brett

Frederick William Durose, aged 20 and standing at 5 feet 11 inches tall, from Birmingham, joined the Imperial Yeomanry in Birmingham, on the 12th of December 1899, with actual service in South Africa from the 9th of February 1900 until the 2nd of January 1901.
He had been wounded, at Botha's Farm, shot through the hand, one assumes, his left hand, on the 20th of October 1900 and was left permanently disabled, he returned home and was discharged unfit for further service on the 23rd of February 1901.
The Birmingham Gun trade was at a high point in 1901, Joseph Chamberlain's family owned a great deal of it, with the result that they became rather "better off" with the Anglo Boer War raging in Africa, but, the choice of gift here, will certainly not have been accidental, moreover, there were absolutely no controls on the sale of firearms in those days either.

Thanks, Frank
Clearly not sufficiently disabled to prevent him from being presented with - and presumably use - the illustrated rifle.
Regards
IL.

Indeed, a right hand bolt.