The Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans and Indians who fought in North Africa and Italy arrived as formed units that had been mobilised in their home countries. They would be equiped before departure. There are pictures of AIF arriving in North Africa with SMLE's. They are wearing the Australian Service Dress and have the old 08 pattern webbing. The pictures of them in action still show SMLE's and Service Dress but they have had an issue of 37 pattern webbing which must have come from British stocks in Egypt.
I have seen pictures of New Zealanders arriving in Italy. They are disembarking carrying SMLE's and wear the Lemon Squeezer campaign hats. I can't find my reference for the picture at the moment.
The South Africans and Indians also arrive carrying SMLE's.
The No.4 is used in North Africa and Italy. The units of 5th Army for Operation Torch include many that have been converted to using the No.4. For example the S Staffs were issued No.4's during 1942 during training in Britain for conversion to Airlanding role. They take these rifles with them on the sea crossing to North Africa and use them on Operation Husky. The Canadian troops in Italy also have the No.4 on general issue.
I have seen pictures of New Zealanders arriving in Italy. They are disembarking carrying SMLE's and wear the Lemon Squeezer campaign hats. I can't find my reference for the picture at the moment.
David Filer's Kiwis in Khaki: A Pictorial History of the New Zealand Soldier in WW2 is the best source for NZ photos (excellent image of two NZ troops guarding German prisoners; one is carrying a 1928 Thompson, the other is carrying an M1A1- one of the many images which perfectly captures the crazy mix of kit they wore and carried). Another good source is John McLeod's Myth and Reality: The New Zealand Soldier in World War II as well as the oral history database Nga Toa, which I have a thread linking to in this section of the forum; the interviews are accompanied with some excellent shots both from official/archive sources like the Turnbull library in Wellington and people's personal collections.
From what I've been able to gather since looking more seriously into NZ's role in the war in the last year or so, some NZ troops shipped out equipped with hastily copied, locally made '37 BD, and fewer still in KD gear (still with SMLEs and '08 pattern webbing), but the majority were sent off in lemon squeezers, WW1 style service dress, '08 webbing and SMLEs
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...or what's left of it. Apparently when it was rebarreled to take 7.62 Nato rounds all the upper woodwork and the front lower wood was no longer needed so went many years ago. I have been told that it is still a very accurate rifle and would you believe it changed hands recently for £50! All you need is the relevant paperwork.
In comparison to the L4A1 it does seem to have a very short stock.
Your probably best going on pictures Jimbo. To me it just looks rather odd, and i'vr seen a fair few of those beauties. The barrel seem elongated in the one you pictured as well.
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