PERISCOPE FOR RIFLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2569, 17 September 1915, Page 6

PERISCOPE FOR RIFLES

MAJOR H. MARSHALL'S INVENTION. An invention that may be tho means of saving tho lives of many of our soldiers has been patented by Major' H. Marshall, Officer Commanding' tho Rifle Clubs' Reserve Corps. It takes the form of a poriscope for a rifle, which, if found practicable, should prove invaluable in the present trench warfare and for scouting. Its chief merit lies in its simplicity. A. neat littio contrivance, it can be carricd in the pocket and attached to the rifle when required, enabling the soldier'while lying at any angle behind cover to shoot his opponent. The same applies to street,warfare, while for scouting purposes—looking round corners and obtaining a full view- without becoming exposed—it has every evidence of becoming equally useful.

The appliance, was tested at Trentham Rifle range on Wednesday last by Lieutenant E. Purdon (H.vthe Musketry Instructor), Sergeant-Major' Hendy,. and Major Marshall (himself an expert phot). Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Potter (Camp Commandant) and Captain Dovey (Camp Adjutant) were also present. It was tested at 100 yards' range, firing from behind covor, and proved so satisfactory that the marksmen wore able to shoot into a foot, obtaining many "bull's-eyes." Tho rifle was fired from all sorts of positionsstanding, sitting, lying prone parallel with cover, and at right angles (in some cases lying so low that the too of the butt was on tho ground), and through loopholes. It is proposed to further test tho invention at Trentham and also to place it before the War Office, Loudon.