MKM '03 Rifle

M1917 rifle is very interesting because I`ve heard they used this rifle for training and then the Garand. It seems this information must be expanded. I own a demilled M1917 in my collection and a few pictures from US soldiers on training armed with this rifle in the mid 30th. But all stories I know didn`t talk about the Springfield 1903, M1917 and M1 Garand used together. Most start with the Springfield or M1917, quick changed to the Garand.

Thank you very much for the interesting document. As I can see your grandfather was in the 66th Division. This division fight at St.Nazaire and Lorient, the towns of the great submarine-bunkers in France. The division came to Germany for occupation duty in the Koblenz area. As I said before it`s very interesting for myself to see the P1917 rifle was used in training in 1943, the pictures I have seen from soldiers with P1917 during training are much earlier than 1943.

History is a matter of learning. With each part in my collection the number of questions about rise and rise. First I knew the P1917 was used in great numbers in World War I, some talk about more P1917 in Dougboys hand than the Springfield, then I found pictures with this rifle between the wars, and the last unanswered question came to me when I read an article about the french rifle grenade they use with the P1917, they found a lot of them in the Pacific. Unknown it was used by Marines or the Philipine forces there.

I know only one division who fight in Europe and the Pacific, this is the 97. Division which fight at the German-Tschech Republic Border in late April 1945 up to May 8.. Found this information while on search for more information about the units in my area of Bavaria during April/May 1945.

You`re right, they came too late for fighting. The division left for Le Havre, 16 June 1945, for redeployment to the Pacific, arriving at Cebu, Philippine Islands, 16 September, and then sailed to Japan for occupation duty, arriving at Yokohama on 23 September 1945.

Uwe

97. Division who fight only 80 kilometres from my home in 1945, the history I wrote is for the 97. Division who was send to Japan after the surrender of Germany.