The strange marking behind the trigger guard and the possible deployment of the K.S Mausers after World War 1 refers.
According to the publication:
The Problem of Munitions Supply in the First World War and its effect on the Union Defence Force by J.L. Keene; Military History Journal, Vol 6 No 4 - December 1984.
(Refer to:
http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol064jk.html)
“Unlike other campaigns in which South African forces participated the execution of the German South West African Campaign was the sole responsibility of the Union Government.
Responsibility for the supply of munitions in the other campaigns fell on the Imperial Government. Since South Africa was able to provide her troops with basic equipment for service in the other theatres, especially the East African Campaign, the need for the maintenance of large reserve stocks became unnecessary. This provides a reason for the disposal of large numbers of Portuguese Mausers towards the end of the German South West Africa Campaign. Mention has already been made of the fact that the members of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Mounted Brigades which served under Gen Botha were allowed to keep their rifles upon release. The rifles were in fact given to these men as a reward for their service. The gift of the rifles was unconditional, no loan or obligation to account for them was implied. The number of rifles involved in the gift was 8 757. These were written off in terms of Government Notice 1366 of 1915.”
This indicates that the UDF operating in other theatres were supplied by the Imperial Government and hence the disposal of the Portuguese Mausers.
“Rifle returns submitted by the Quartermaster-General UDF to the Secretary of Defence in 1915 show that, with the exclusion of the Portuguese Mausers, the bulk of the rifles in the UDF arsenal were .303 in. Magazine Lee Enfields (the ‘long’ Lee Enfields of the pattern used by the British Army in the Boer war.
…. the returns also include 1 699 7,92mm German Mausers which were obviously captured either from rebels who had joined the Germans, such as Maritz’s group, or from the Germans themselves. “
Given that the UDF only had “1699 7.92 German Mausers” it is to my mind highly unlikely that they would bother with the logistics of deploying these.
The number of 1699 7.92 German Mausers in possession of the UDF and a couple of souvenirs brought home by soldiers, seems to corroborate the assumption that some 2200 K.S Mausers were around.
The above mentioned report is well worth a read as it tells an interesting story about the arms of the South West Campaign and the use of the Portuguese Mauser.
(
http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol064jk.html)
