NAM.1997-06-19-1

Martini Henry .45 in breechloading rifle made by P Webley and Son, Birmingham; part of contract of 1500 rifles supplied to the Orange Free State (23 Oct 1896); similar to Mk II British Army Model. Punched receiver: ‘OVS/572’. This rifle, made up from spare British Board of Ordnance parts, was similar to the Martini-Henry Mk II used by the British Army. The Birmingham military contractor, P Webley and Son supplied 1500 of these rifles at £4 per weapon. The rifle was given an Oranje Vrij Staat (Orange Free State) number 572 which corresponds with the Webley number stamped on major parts of the action.

Boer War (1899-1902)