Now there's something interesting about this poster, take a look at the rifle they're equipped with. It's not the Lee Enfield No. 1 Mk III usually seen in such contexts. No, it appears to be the Enfield Pattern 1914 or more likely, some examples of the M1917, utilised to stand in for the Pattern 1914, because the Pattern 1914 is quite a rare item. This is interesting because this rifle is much more realistic in the Home Guard setting. The Lee Enfield, in its No. 1 and No. 4 guises, was a front line weapon, whereas the Pattern 1914 had been largely allocated to secondary units. Incidentally, the M1917, which differs in the cartridge it's chambered for, was also issued to the Home Guard but was indicated with red paint on the stock. Isn't it nice to know that someone's making an effort?
The story of the Enfield Pattern 1914 and how it came about is quite interesting. In case you don't know, the Lee Enfield received some attention from the purveyors of received wisdom, because of its rearward locking bolt, which was seen as a dated technology. As is the case with a lot of received wisdom, it's complete tosh and the Lee Enfield went on to prove its superiority in the two world wars. Meanwhile the controversy gave rise to a project that culminated, through a somewhat indirect process, with the Pattern 1914, utilising a modified Mauser style bolt. Most accounts assert that it was pretty decent rifle, even superior in some respects to the Lee Enfield, just a little heavier and with reduced magazine capacity. The great news is, that you can still buy them, you just need a firearms certificate, so do not go knocking the hats off any policemen, otherwise you might find that tricky.
