WW1 Shortage of '03 Springfields

[11mm]

I think that many of us have read of the shortage of 03 Springfields in the US Army at the time of our entry in WW1, and the use of the 1917 rifle and even Krags to ameliorate that shortage.
I find the attached picture, from the New York State Naval Militia website, very interesting. Apparently, there were enough '03 rifles, in certain cases, so that they could be issued not just to the Navy, but to a state naval reserve unit. The other equipment the sailor is furnished with is also interesting. Unless they were planning on landing parties in France, why would a sailor need a canteen and haversack?
There was a lot of irony in the way our Government worked back then, too.Naval_Militia_Bugler_NGM-v31-p346.jpg

[bruce]

Prior to the entry of the US into WWI, the government was not organized to support large scale overseas combat operations. It is to be expected that efficiency would suffer in the rush to equip military units for deployment.

[Rick the Librarian]

For the reduced scale of the military before WWI, there were plenty of M1903s, including enough to equip reserve units. It was the transition to a multi-million man force that caused the problem. Keep in mind that there were sufficient M1903s, so that Rock Island ceased production in 1913 and Springfield reduced their production significantly. For example, in Fiscal Year 1916, with war raging in Europe, exactly 11,299 M1903s were manufactured.

The whole business produced a bit of a scandal when war started.

What is interesting is the same thing nearly happened in WWII, I don't have the number in front of me, but I believe the number of M1 rifles originally ordered was relatively small.

[5MadFarmers]

It's a pre-war photo.

Page 346 in the April of 1917 (Vol 31) edition of the National Geographic. To make the April 1917 issue it had to have been taken earlier. "How much earlier" isn't something that's provided.

Canteen itself is circa 1913. Cover is pre-1917 but the date of the magazine kind of told us that already.

[11mm]

Prior to the entry of the US into WWI, the government was not organized to support large scale overseas combat operations. It is to be expected that efficiency would suffer in the rush to equip military units for deployment.

Oh. I agree. But the incursion into Mexico in 1916 was somewhat of a dress rehearsal for deployment, or so some historians tell us.
From what I read, the inefficiency continued right up to, and through, the end of the war.

[11mm]

It's a pre-war photo.

Page 346 in the April of 1917 (Vol 31) edition of the National Geographic. To make the April 1917 issue it had to have been taken earlier. "How much earlier" isn't something that's provided.

Canteen itself is circa 1913. Cover is pre-1917 but the date of the magazine kind of told us that already.

That explains it!

[5MadFarmers]

That explains it!

It's a fascinating photo. If I had to throw a dart at a calendar for the haversack I'd toss it at 1915/1916. The cartridge belt is "modern" for that time.

In other words that's not "hand-me-down" equipment. It's almost new. I have a photo taken in China, after WW1, where the landing party has field gear older than that. Presumably the equipment in the China photo is from the regular navy ships.

Fascinating photo. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Rick the Librarian]

Oh. I agree. But the incursion into Mexico in 1916 was somewhat of a dress rehearsal for deployment, or so some historians tell us.
From what I read, the inefficiency continued right up to, and through, the end of the war.

You're at least partially right - "Preparedness" started to come into vogue about the time of the Mexico incursion. Rock Island was reopened at the end of 1916, but, as the workers had been dispersed after closing of the plant (Conrad Nelson, the "CN" seen on pre-1913 - had gone to work at Remington in 1915, for example).

In FY 1917, production of M1903s increased -- but only to a little over 13,000 M1903s.

[p246]

I think the fact they were selling new rifles to civilian NRA members in the years right up to the US entry into WW1 speaks volumes to the prewar mindset. As to the photo I also thought it was interesting how new some of the equipment was. Supply chain for that unit was up to snuff.

[butlersrangers]

The N.Y. Naval Reserve 'Bugler' has an 'anchor emblem' stenciled on the Butt Stock of his model 1903. (Neat Picture).

A similar stenciled anchor appears in this 5/24/08 photo of Brooklyn Naval Reserve Sailors, with Krags.

Interesting equipment abounds in pre-WW1 photos. N.Y.N.G. 1915, winter training with 1903 Springfield rifles.

Brklyn NavR1.jpgNY Natl.Guard'15.jpg