Hi again!
 
My churchillian rhapsody goes accross a technical stretch.
 
After dinner at Chequers, in march 1941, Churchill shows Sir Alan Brooke Commander-in-Chief of Home Forces a "long port" rifle that he wants to substitute for the "slope".



The author explains in a footnote: "The slope has the rifle on the left shoulder, inclined at 45 degrees; the port has the rifle held much more tiringly in front of the body at 45 degrees. "



According to what I've found in the Internet "rifle" stands here for the long metal barrel of the gun, so the note is talking about the way one "ports", or "carries" the gun when presenting arms. That explains the otherwise weird notion of "having the rifle on the left shoulder", which doesn't seem the natural way to aim for a right-handed person —not to mention the fact of having the gun "inclined at 45 degrees". As far as I understand it, the note shows how a soldier holds the gun when having it on the port, that is with the metal barrell on the left shoulder and with the gun itself crossing diagonally his/her chest, with arms flexed and in contact with the body.



But that's just guesswork, since the porting of the "slope" would have it "tiringly held in front of the body at 45 degrees". Does that mean you have it kind of "suspended" in front of you with arms stretched? That doesn't look quite logical —tiring for sure, but just nonsense, isn't it?


Does anyone know what are we talking about here?


Thanks in advance for your help.


CM

"Rifle" in this instance,is being used for the word gun or firearm.

This short film shows the rifle drill for the US Army but the British Army drill would be much the same. "Port" is the weapon held at the 45 degree angle for the firing mechanism to be examined, either by an officer or NCO.

That's it. Great thanks!

An image is worth a thousand words they say…

Really, really thankful. [I wonder what else lies in ambush for me in the rest of the book! Thank goodness it's a wonderful story!]

Have a great day.

Found this as well CM. British Army rifle drill from the 19th century for the Enfield Rifle. The basic commands would still be used in WW2:

Rifle Drill

Hi Triceratops!

That's a very good one indeed! It shows most of drills (or quite a few, at least; I suppose). I would keep it for future reference.

Great help.