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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.

Some days working on one of my three projects covering the ABW, WW1 & WW2 are very unproductive. Other days are good and some are amazing. Today has been an amazing day.

This morning I started in WW2 investigating Old Boys of Holly Lodge High School for Boys, Smethwick who had received their air-crew training in Canada. Amongst them was Charles William Fisher who, being born in May 1921, I was able to find on the 1921 Census living with his grandparents who bore the surname “Durose”. Cogs began to whirl and, to cut a long story short, Charles was the nephew of Trooper F W Durose (see the photo of engraved plaque butt above posted by IL).

I checked my F W Durose folder to find an incomplete write-up eventually intended for this Forum which prompted me to check to see if I had posted anything and to my amazement and gratification I ended up here.

Here is the transcription of an article regarding Trooper Durose that appeared in the Smethwick Telephone just before he left for South Africa which I think IL & the current owner of the rifle will find of interest:

TROOPER DUROSE

It is to Mr. Frederick William Durose that Smethwick owes its representation in the Imperial Yeomanry Volunteers. This alone is an honour of which he might well feel proud, but there are other sides on which one cannot but look with admiration. Loyalty is not lacking in any British heart, but when a young man, in the midst of such environments, turns to the practical side of the question, and assists his country, then it becomes a noble sacrifice. Trooper Durose is the eldest son of Mr W J Durose, of High Street, Smethwick, and is 6ft in height. He was educated at the Five Ways and New Street Grammar Schools, Birmingham, after which he was for some years with Messrs. James Spicer and Sons, paper merchants and stationers, Birmingham. For the past year or so he has been assistant works manager at his father’s establishment, and during that time he joined the “B” Squad of the Worcestershire Yeomanry. In his first year with the regiment he took the prize for being the best shot among the recruits heading the list. After this followed several other prizes for skill at arms; and, what is almost unprecedented in the corps, was elected a member of the competing company to take part in competitions with other Hussars. When the Government asked for volunteers he at once gave in his name, and being a holder of the badge for marksmanship he was exempt from the shooting tests. He also passed the medical examination and the riding trial. The latter was a severe test of horsemanship, and as many as 40 men were rejected on this score alone in one day but Mr. Durose’s experience stood him in good stead, and he passed satisfactorily. He signed the attestation papers to serve for twelve months, or until the war is finished, and is in receipt of cavalry pay, which is 1s. 1d. per day. A most complete kit has been packed for the men, and Trooper Durose has been the recipient of many handsome and useful presents. Among the latter is one which will perhaps give a pet name to the whole regiment. It is a sprig of pear blossom, which each man received at the hands of Lady Dudley, and which will be worn on the hat. It was a most gracious gift as the pear is one of the heraldic symbols of the County of Worcester, and one that will be highly prized by the regiment. The Mayor (Alderman Jabez Lones) kindly offered to conduct the young soldier to the railway station in his insignia of office, but the uncertainties of the war office made this impracticable. Mr Durose bade farewell to his friends last week, when a large number were entertained at Highway House. Mr Durose left three weeks ago for Great Brook Street barracks, and sails from Albert Dock for South Africa at four o’clock on Wednesday next.

There is a photo of him attached to the article but the copy I have is not worth reproducing here. However, I do have a reasonable quality and signed photo of his nephew, the dates refer to his attendance at “my” school although it had become Holly Lodge Grammar School for Boys by the time I entered its portals:




I also have a letter his mother (i.e. the sister of Trooper Durose) wrote on the 28th December 1944 informing the Old Boys’ Association of the whereabouts of her son – he was in Canada where he had been transferred from Bomer Pillot training to fighter Pilot training. She added hew was enjoying the life despite the Canadian winter and was obviously flourishing as he was now 6ft 2inches tall and weighed 14 stone. A letter he wrote on 18th May 1945 showed he was back in England and had been able to spend VE Day on leave at home. I suspect if he did see any action it was in the far east between VE & VJ Day.

Regarding Trooper Durose’s injury. It merely says “G.S. hand” on his service records with an added “Permanent disablement” below. The Smethwick Telephone of 24th November 1900 included this in its “Borough Briefs” section:

All doubts as to the extent of the injury received by Trooper Durose have been set at rest by a letter from the wounded Yeoman himself. “There is only a very small wound (he writes) which will be well in no time.” Trooper Durose has been in 54 engagements.

The family seem to have been content to part company with his rifle, he seemed to part company with his ABW medal involuntarily as shown by the following notice in the Smethwick Telephone of 16th November 1907:



The undated Medal Roll for the 16th Company shows his QSA would have been adorned by the Cape Colony, Orange Free State & Transvaal clasps. Although, as stated by Frank Kelley, his South African service, according to his service records, ran to 2nd January 1901 his name does not appear on 26th August 1903 Medal Roll for the 16th Company listing those who received the South Africa 1901 clasp – this would be because his South African service on his service records included the journey there and back.

Note the mention of the sprig of pear blossom presented by Lady Dudley to Trooper Durose and his comrades in arms. Lady Dudley had a replica created by Faberge which she presented to the Worcestershire Yeomanry also known as the Worcestershire Hussars. It is now owned by the Worcestershire Regiment who, in 2017, took it along to an episode of the Antiques Road Show held in the Black Country Museum – the expert valued it at £1,000,000!