Flanders mud flap

[John Sukey]

One on Ebay now but the auction is about to close. current bid at 90 quid.
Too rich for me

[drweiler]

John, there's quite an interesting thread over on Milsurps.com about that Flanders Flap. Happy Memorial Day to you and our fellow Vets on our forum. S/F, Don

[JB White]

Lord forbid it might be talked of here if it's already on another site

[Barryeye]

What is a Flanders mud flap?

[John Sukey]

A spring loaded sheet metal device attached to the nosecap of a SMLE. It had a flap that covered the muzzle of the rifle to keep out the mud in the trenches. You could either move it out of the way manualy or, on firing the gas ahead of the bullet would move it out of the way. After the war, most all of them were scrapped, making surviving examples a rare collectors item.

[BruceHMX]

[John Sukey]

By the way, another rare item is associated with the grenade discharger cup. Not the cup, but rather the grenade launching sight used with it. Once bought a smle just to have that item
Then there is the mirror that attached to the bayonet of the smle so you could look over the top of the trench without exposing your head.
Also the trench periscope that was roughly an inch in diameter
Then there is the spigot grenade launcher for the SMLE (not the No4)
Have all of the above

[John Sukey]

BruceHMX, I am jealous!

[BruceHMX]

No John that's a Google image not mine. I had the same question Barry had. So I googled it.

[Barryeye]

Thanks John and Bruce. I now realise that I have seen them but did not recognise the name used. No doubt the M.O.D. gave them another title.