Springfields in France

[11mm]

France has really succeeded in improving their military museums. On a trip there this month, I visited the newly refurbished museum/memorial at Toulon for the landings on the Mediterranean coast (15 Aug 44) and the refurbished museum at Verdun, as well as other battlefields. In the museums there is a solid attempt to get things right (uniforms, gear etc.) concerning American troops (WW1 and 2) and French use of American equipment in WW2.
Here are some pictures of Springfields.spfld1.jpgspfld2.jpg[ATTACH=CONFIG]
The French used a lot of 1903 and 1903a3 rifles during WW2. There were several on display at Toulon. The were a lot better than most of their own rifles that they had managed to salvage from the defeat of 1940 or the German occupation, and they used the same cartridge as the US was using.
The irony of the display at Verdun is that it shows 1377073 as representative of the rifle used by our troops in WW1, while it probably came from their stocks acquired during WW2, as it certainly did not exist in 1918! Otherwise, the display was very good. Sorry for the quality of the photos...glass cases are no help.
If you get over there, both museums are well worth seeing.

[Rick the Librarian]

Another irony is that the 77th Division that is painted on the U.S. WWI helmet - they most likely used M1917s!

[03collector]

I think Rick is correct. 77th wasn't the lost battalion in that division? I believe they used 1917s.

[Rick the Librarian]

Yep, that was the one.

[03collector]

On Memorial Day a group of friends will be putting on a display on W.W I at Wisconsin Memorial Park. To honor that Great War. Lets all remember. I will post pictures of it if that is ok. I thought i would post it here if thats ok. Because the 03 had a impact on that war.