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By the outbreak of the 2nd War of Austrian Succession in August 1914 The British Home Army and Territorial Force had replaced their controversial Lee Enfield Rifles with the new Pattern 13 rifles. This rifle did not allow the same fast rate of fire as the Lee Enfields or hold the same 10 round capacity magazine (It is claimed that 1 man fired 38 aimed rounds in 1 minute).

When the B.E.F engaged the German army at Mons they were unable to hold their possition for long despite inflicting large casualties on the Germans. Later on the Germans caught and over ran 1 of the B.E.F's 2 Corps and severed the remaining Corps link with the French army. The remnants of the BEF were then driven to the Pas de Calais and pinned in the coastal pocket, playing very little part in the Western Front Campaign until just before the end of the war in early 1917. Could things have been diferent had they kept the old SMLE and what difference would Britain having a larger role in the fighting on the Western Front have on the war as a whole?
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