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Feature, Inland 931 First Commando Fiji Guerillas |
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hunterman
On Point Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 307 |
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Posted: Dec 06 2020 at 11:12pm |
2020-H
Featured Carbine Inland 931 – First Commando Fiji Guerillas By Glen Collier
After the end of World War II, Inland 931 was reportedly obtained from Charlie Tripp, a New Zealand farmer-rancher who had served in the New Zealand Army. Research shows Charles William Howard Tripp was born in Timaru, New Zealand on February 22, 1902. With the outbreak of World War II, Tripp enlisted in the New Zealand Army for New Zealand’s Second Expeditionary Force (2NZEF). The first expeditionary force was in World War I. The Nominal Role for 2NZEF shows two embarkations for Tripp. On January 14, 1942, NCO Charles William Howard Tripp arrived in Fiji as part of the 36th Battalion of the 2NZEF. The purpose was to train for jungle warfare and to set up the Fiji Defense Force. In April 1942, Lieutenant Tripp was given command of the Southern Independent Commandos. In July 1942, the Americans arrived to take over the defense of Fiji and most of the 36th Battalion returned home. Tripp and his commandos stayed with the Americans. In January 1943, Captain Tripp received orders to form the First Commando Fiji Guerillas from selected New Zealand and indigenous Fiji personnel. The unit was advised to be prepared to move to the Solomon Islands on short notice. Tripp and his guerillas worked as scouts for the Americans and as Commandos behind the Japanese lines in and around the Solomons, including Guadalcanal. The Fiji guerillas, adept at operating in the jungle, were lethal. It was said that “when the Fiji Commandos raid at night, death wears velvet gloves.” A rare and obscure book entitled Pacific Commandos, New Zealanders and Fijian in Action, A history of the Southern Independent Commando and First Commando Fiji Guerillas, by Colin R. Larsen, details the activities of the Fiji guerillas under Tripp’s leadership. There is mention of Tripp and a carbine, written in a sensationalized manner.
Tripp’s family provided this photograph of the items in his pocket that deflected the Japanese bullet.
Because casualties and disease had depleted the unit, Major Tripp’s First Commando Fiji Guerillas was disbanded on May 27, 1944. For his service during World War II, Major Charles William Howard Tripp received the following: Distinguished Service Order 1939-45 Star Pacific Star Defence Medal (NZ) War Medal 1939-45 New Zealand War Service Medal Silver Star (USA) It is worth noting that of the six Silver Stars (USA) awarded to New Zealanders in World War II, three were presented to Commandos. Tripp died in 1991 and is buried in Woodbury Cemetery, Woodbury, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Inland delivery of M1 carbines to fulfill its military contract began in June 1942 with 362 deliveries, according to War Baby!, page 361. Due to subsequent modifications, several features are found only on the earliest Inland carbines, such as Inland 931. The 6-42 barrel is proofed with a large “P” with serifs. According to CC NL #346, dated March 2008, the highest reported serial number with a serif “P” barrel proof was 3,546 with a 7-42 dated barrel.
The Type I rear sight is marked with a round serif “S” on the left side. This mark on flip sights is found on original early Inlands and Winchesters. The Type I trigger housing, with bevels on the front and back, has some other distinguishing features.
One such feature is the lack of hammer spring recess. Inland 931 trigger housing (on the left) with no hammer spring recess, is compared to later trigger housing with a recess for the hammer spring (on the right). This modification was no doubt a welcome one for anyone re-assembling the carbine.
The ordnance bomb on the left side of the trigger housing is believed to be an inspector stamp. CCNL 346-18, page 18 mentions a small flaming bomb on the left side of early Inland trigger housings.
The extractor and extractor plunger are Type I. The cone of the extractor plunger fits into the V-notch of the extractor. This combination was known for causing the bolt to come apart when firing. According to War Baby!, page 300, carbine production in February 1943 was held up until this problem was resolved. The solution was the Type II extractor, which was made by reworking the Type I. Note the larger cut and the change in the lip of the extractor. Also, the plunger was changed from a solid cone to a cone with a flat side. A later redesign produced the Type III extractor with the flat lip. There was no change in the extractor plunger.
The top of the cam cut on the operating side is straight flat on Inland 931. A review of Inland Carbines of the Month in Carbine Club Newsletters shows that at least by serial number 107316, with a 12-42 barrel date, the cut was heart shaped.
The earliest Inlands did not have the crossed cannons acceptance stamp on the right side of the stock. Instead, they were in the sling well. The I-cut stock for Inland 931 has small crossed cannons with an “O” and ordnance bomb in the sling well. According to CC NL #333-4, this is the earliest Inland sling well marking. The inside of the handguard is marked with a flaming bomb and only an O” as opposed to an “OI” on the usual side rails of the handguard.
The flat of the 6-42 Inland barrel has only a few “hieroglyphs” compared to later serial numbers.
The flaming bomb seen near the gas port has been reported for barrels dated 5-42 to 9-42 (CC NL #346-6).
High wood stocks were susceptible to breaking, and this was not unique to early Inlands. Note the neat repair with screws to the damaged high wood on the Inland 931 stock. The ears of the front sight on Inland 931 have been removed. This is said to be of benefit in low light conditions, such as those involved in jungle combat.
After the end of World War II, a New Zealand farmer-rancher turned military weapons collector acquired Inland 931 from Charles Tripp, who was an acquaintance. The carbine was inherited by the collector’s son and it remained in the family collection until offered for sale in 2020. The seller described Tripp as having worked behind the enemy lines in Burma and the Pacific Islands. No evidence of Tripp’s involvement in Burma was found. However, research shows there is little record of those who participated in those operations. On March 15, 2019, a mass murder occurred in a New Zealand mosque. The New Zealand government quickly enacted strict gun control measures making most semiautomatic and military-style weapons illegal. A forced buy-back of banned weapons was implemented. The effective date of the new law was April 12, 2019. The owner of Inland 931, a person with dual US-NZ citizenship, received New Zealand permission to export his weapon collection to himself in the US on April 8, 2019. Had it not been exported, Inland 931 would have become wood chips and scrap metal. The export documents are shown below. The following picture is from “Fiji Patrol on Bougainville” in the January 1945 edition of The National Geographic Magazine. The commandos shown are not from Tripp’s First Commando Fiji Guerillas but are from the First Battalion, Fiji Infantry Regiment, which was also led by New Zealanders. The Carbine Collectors Club Copyright© 2020 www.USCarbineCal30.com This article and/or its images are the property of the author and/or the Carbine Collectors Club. They're not to be distributed or for commercial use without prior written permission (Title 17, Chapter 5, Section 501(a) U.S. Code) Edited by New2brass - Dec 19 2020 at 2:33pm |
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New2brass
Moderator Group Dan Pinto, Photo Editor Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CT Status: Offline Points: 4660 |
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Whoa! check out that early trigger housing!
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W5USMC
Moderator Group Joined: Apr 29 2017 Location: Missouri Status: Offline Points: 2959 |
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Love it! Great Carbine and excellent article!
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Wayne
USMC Retired NRA Life Member |
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jackp1028
Hard Corps Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Cloudcroft, NM Status: Offline Points: 1276 |
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What an incredible article! How often do you see a surviving Type 1 extractor plunger? This carbine and the story behind it are priceless.
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JackP
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arthur
On Point Joined: Feb 18 2016 Location: dayton,ohio Status: Offline Points: 369 |
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“operating slide stop retaining pin” ???
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GotSnlB28
Hard Corps Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: WI Status: Offline Points: 896 |
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Super article, great job, it made my evening reading it. That picture of the carbine mag, cartridge, and lighter which deflected the Japanese bullet - Wow! It is great that time capsule was saved from destruction.
Two things in the data sheet which I found a bit interesting : tapered sear spring, would have thought straight. 5/16 UI swivel would have thought 1/4 unmarked. |
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jangle
On Point Joined: Jan 13 2016 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 147 |
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Loved the article and research.
Thanks for showing photos of this awesome Carbine!
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03manV
On Point Joined: Mar 01 2020 Location: near Charlotte Status: Offline Points: 262 |
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Great info.
Thanks for posting.
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Don
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painter777
Hard Corps Joined: Feb 18 2016 Location: Central MI Status: Offline Points: 1718 |
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What a Treat !
Thank You
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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hunterman
On Point Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 307 |
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Not on this slide. I don't know when the pinned slide stop was discontinued, but it is not present on this slide.
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hunterman
On Point Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 307 |
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The UI swivel with the wide aperture is undoubtedly not original to a carbine of this vintage. However, it's use is part of the history of this weapon and I won't be correcting it. The sear spring is straight - my mistake. Data sheet has been corrected. Edited by hunterman - Dec 13 2020 at 1:03pm |
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New2brass
Moderator Group Dan Pinto, Photo Editor Joined: Nov 29 2015 Location: CT Status: Offline Points: 4660 |
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Early swivels could be a PITA for a thicker sling, and remember that early on the screw was not staked in and many were lost/replaced.
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arthur
On Point Joined: Feb 18 2016 Location: dayton,ohio Status: Offline Points: 369 |
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Hunterman, You are right. The pin hole is closer to the top. I saw slide number 15 at a gun show about 25 years ago and took a couple pictures of it. After digging around I found them. Maybe Dan might add them to this post. Cheap camera, glossy pictures, printer scanned, blown up = fuzzy, sorry. I tried to buy the slide but dealer didn't want to sell. Edited by New2brass - Dec 12 2020 at 11:44pm |
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welbytwo
Hard Corps Advanced Collector Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 803 |
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I would be a buyer of #18 or #23 marked slides like this
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hunterman
On Point Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 307 |
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For what serial numbers was the pinned slide stop used?
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welbytwo
Hard Corps Advanced Collector Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 803 |
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first 2000 or so maybe--and maybe the tool room test manual guns -not really enough been found to range the use of
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Johnboy490
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Wow, just a great story, really enjoyed the pics, Thanks Hunterman, made my Sunday,
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John Neff
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m1a1fan
Hard Corps Got Para? Joined: Jan 01 2016 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 1736 |
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What a great read!
Excellent article and fantastic carbine. Thanks for sharing!
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HARLEY08
On Point Joined: Feb 24 2019 Location: Raleigh, NC Status: Offline Points: 107 |
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Thank you for the info and pictures - Great!
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M1DB
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colreed
Grunt Joined: Feb 15 2016 Location: Hockley, TX Status: Offline Points: 452 |
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Hunterman,
Your article was quite an education for me. Things I've never seen. It was great, thanks. colreed
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"Rescuing one animal may not change the world, but for THAT animal, THEIR world is changed forever"
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