Rifles of the Great War: The Bolt Action Infantry Rifles of WWI (Christopher McDonald) - a podcast by Rob Mellon

Dr. Christopher McDonald discusses the innovations and developments of the bolt action infantry rifles of World War I.  He explains the difficulties the British had in South Africa and the Americans had during the Spanish-American War when confronted with entrenched soldiers armed with Mauser rifles.  He details the importance of smokeless powers and magazine weapons.  McDonald covers the development of the Pattern 1913 Enfield for the British and the M1903 Springfield for the American Army.  He discusses the production challenges after the war broke out and the contracts for the American companies Winchester, Remington, and Remington Eddystone to produce the British Pattern 1914.  The United States had production challenges with the M1903 as well which led to the modification of the Pattern 1914 to create the M1917 Enfield for the U.S. Army.  He touches on the controversy over which rifle Sergeant Alvin York used during his famous engagement, which was captured in the 1941 film Sergeant York starring Gary Cooper.  Dr. McDonald finishes talking about the rifle developments during the period between WWI and WWII and what happened to the thousands of weapons left over after WWI ended.

HOST:  Rob Mellon

FEATURED BREW:  Bass and Company Pale Ale

BOOK:  Three Lying or Four Sitting - From the Front in a Ford: WWI Letters of Kent Dunlap Hagler

https://www.amazon.com/Three-Lying-Four-Sitting-Letters/dp/193613201X

MUSIC:  Bones Fork

https://bonesfork.com/

Further episodes of History Ago Go

Further podcasts by Rob Mellon

Website of Rob Mellon