Re-enactors upset by ban on taking UK spec deacts to France

[HH1]

Ok, I have been piecing together our family's military history.... I want to record as much as I can while I still have the chance, but this is what I have so far:

Mothers side:
Two Great Uncles served in WWII, John drove the lead tank across the bridge in “Operation Market Garden”. John was a Grenadier Guard who also protected Her Majesty the Queen outside Buckingham Palace. (Both brothers returned home).

Grandfather, Harold was Sargent in the 8th Army, Desert Rats, North Africa and Italy, Drove Army Trucks.. (returned home but was tragically killed in a accident a year or so later).

My Uncle Stan and his older brother joined up towards the end of WWII and served in India. (Stan returned, but his brother drowned in front of him in the Indian Ocean on the very last day of the war…. They were waiting to be shipped back home and Stan’s brother decided to go for one last swim).

Fathers side:

One Great Uncle served in both the WWI & WWII by lying about his age, telling the enrolment office that he was older than he actually was for WWI and younger for WWII. He and my other Great Uncle served in the 8th Army, Desert Rats. Both returned home but one had his legs blown off by a mine.

Grandfather had a “responsible job” so was given the role of “Home Guard”… My Dad clearly remembers the Lee Enfield rifle always propped against the fire place ready for when the enemy might show up.

My father’s uncles on his Mothers side also served in WWII.

My Father was in the REME……. He was sent out to track down the “Mad AxeMan” Frank Mitchell when he escaped Rampton Psychiatric Hospital…..

So, yeah, I have quite strong blood links to real Military History

[Sim G]

Has the EU directive on deactivated weapons been considered in the aspects of UK law yet? Anyone got a definitive on the situation?

[Sandgroper]

Has the EU directive on deactivated weapons been considered in the aspects of UK law yet? Anyone got a definitive on the situation?

Part of the current Policing and crime bill still before Parliament. The way I understand it, is that deacts not up to the EU standard will be considered defectively deactivated and will be subject to controls on their sale and transfer.

(4) For the purpose of this section, something is a “defectively deactivated
weapon” if—

(a) it was at any time a firearm,

(b) it has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or
other missile (and, accordingly, has either ceased to be a firearm
or is a firearm only by virtue of the Firearms Act 1982), but

(c) it has not been rendered so incapable in a way that meets the
applicable EU technical specifications.

(5) In subsection (4)(c), “the applicable EU technical specifications” means
the technical specifications for the deactivation of the weapon that are
set out in an EU instrument in force at the time when the weapon is
made available for sale or as a gift or (as the case may be) when it is sold
or given as a gift.

The bill is still to be passed so there could still be changes and amendments made.

[HH1]

Here is a question:

If Mr Knowles is so keen to take his rifle across to France.... and the specific EU Deactivation specifications are already known, has he made any effort to get his rifle re-done to the current EU specs and re-proofed so that he can take it across to France and play soldiers in July?

[450 Martini]

The Home office has yet to formally recognise the new EU standard. The proof houses are not issuing EU deactivation certificates. There appears to be no movement on this in the near future. The trade and movement of Deactivated Firearms is effectively banned.
To make things worse I have heard rumours the French government will not allow firearms held on a European Firearms Pass into the country.

A century ago the French Government were only too glad of British men with SMLE's on their soil.

[450 Martini]

As I have just returned from two weeks on the Somme I will just give you an update on what happened in regards to the firearm situation.

Those who owned live SMLE'S or G98's on their FAC'S and had a European firearms pass were able to take them to France. Those who did not have a FAC took wooden replicas made by the Denix company.
I took a 1916 LSA SMLE, a 1902 LSA long lee and a 1915 Amberg G98
The French authorities were welcoming and surprisingly understanding of what we were doing and as long as you were not taking firearms within the security cordon on the 1st of July they were happy. I lost count on the number of local mayors I have presented arms to over the last 2 weeks. We were allowed to parade through Albert on the 28th and 30th of June with rifles and bayonets and the only interaction with authority we had was posing for a few photo's with some interested gendarmes. Over the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of July we were camped at Montauban and we visited and paraded at several historical sites on the battlefields including the tunnel network at the Glory hole, Delville wood and Caterpillar valley/High Wood. We conducted a wreath laying ceremony at Delville wood cemetery in memory of the men from the Battalion we represent who are buried there.
The picture is of me and a comrade on top of the site of Black road Trench advancing towards Wood lane just next to high wood on Thursday night.

somme wood lane.jpg (30.88 KiB) Viewed 1157 times

[Chuck]

[HH1]

Those who owned live SMLE'S or G98's on their FAC'S and had a European firearms pass were able to take them to France. Those who did not have a FAC took wooden replicas made by the Denix company.
I took a 1916 LSA SMLE, a 1902 LSA long lee and a 1915 Amberg G98

Excellent, I am really pleased to hear this. In my opinion this is EXACTLY as it should have been.... given my own families notable service in both World Wars, I happen to believe that they would have been really offended if they saw any of you "Presenting Arms" that had been butchered !

I watched the news coverage. Glad your had a good time...

[Racalman]

My Father was in the REME……. He was sent out to track down the “Mad AxeMan” Frank Mitchell when he escaped Rampton Psychiatric Hospital…..

That brought back a few memories. When I was young my family moved to a village not far from Rampton. When Mitchell escaped he came to our village (I think he had a shotgun, but it was a long time ago ...) and made a nuisance of himself so my Dad decided to bring in some security for the family.

He came home with an eight week old Labrador puppy aaarggh

[saddler]

My Father was in the REME……. He was sent out to track down the “Mad AxeMan” Frank Mitchell when he escaped Rampton Psychiatric Hospital…..

That brought back a few memories. When I was young my family moved to a village not far from Rampton. When Mitchell escaped he came to our village (I think he had a shotgun, but it was a long time ago ...) and made a nuisance of himself so my Dad decided to bring in some security for the family.

He came home with an eight week old Labrador puppy aaarggh

Job done = trip hazard & added infection risk from needle sized puncture woulnds!!