doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com research help needed

Here's a pic of an early Colt Government Model recently acquired by my friend Grumpy the Gun Show Grouch.


Serial # is 1914 and the Colt letter (coming in a few months) will show it as one of several hundred sold to the
Canadian govt in that year. The pistol appears to be 100% kosher with much original blue but as you see is also seriously pitted in places. We'd like to get more info on Lt. (later Captain) Orr, and his service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Apparently he was presented with some sort of award at Buckingham Palace but details are lacking.

Any suggestions for research sources and protocols will be greatly appreciated!
Regards, Joe

You might want to try:
<http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com>

Jonathan Kirton

This MIGHT be your man.

One of our more famous gunmakers served in the Canadian Army in WWI and I got his military record from these same folks.

W.F. Orr

Now I'm really confused Joe. I thought Grumpy the Gun Show Grouch was my friend that lives about a mile down the road from me. While it's true I haven't seen him for a few weeks, I did not know he had moved out your way???? There surely can't be two like Grumpy.

It appears the Queens York Rangers are the lineal descendant of Rogers Rangers from the French and Indian war and the American Revolution. It saw a lot of action in some of the nastiest fights of WW I such as Ypers, Vimy, and Paschendale among others. That pistol could have some real history behind its service. A treasure for sure from a distinguished unit.

Jerry Liles

Another possible lead.

CANADA. [First World War. Periodical].
The Listening Post. No. 21. British Ex. Force,
France, Jan 25th, 1917. Editor, Capt. W.F. Orr. Printed
by Permission of Lt.-Col. W.F. Gilson, folio. 31.5x
20.5cm, pp134-141p

What an interesting handgun.

(I think the guy that did the inscription got the same grade as I did in Mechanical Drawing in high school. It seems not-so-inappropriate on a combat proven 1911, tho).

AAMOF Grumpy has an identical twin brother, a college prof at Alabama.

However these guys are both ~5'-3" with size 8, repeat size 8, heads....
Regards, Joe

Here is a little on him.

Click on the links next to "Attestation paper:" to see the paper work. There where other W F Orrs but this one was a capt and papers note the 12 york rangers.

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/datab...99todap6pi027l6

Sorry, I see MP already posted this link.

Maybe some help could be had here.

http://qyrang.ca/about/history/

"Archives & Queen's York Ranger's Museum

The Queen�s York Rangers has a rich and exciting history that has been documented in various books, articles, newsletters, and military records of every kind. The archives contain such important documents as lists of personnel dating back to 1777, written military orders (including those of the 12th Battalion, the York Rangers, the 12th York Rangers, the 20th Battalion, the 127th Battalion and the 220th Battalion), training manuals, diaries, historical maps and photographs, scrapbooks and ephemera.

Within the Fort York Armoury, there is a dedicated space that serves as The Queen�s York Rangers Museum and Archives. The Museum displays uniforms, medals, badges, weapons, equipment and tells the remarkable story of this historic Regiment and the preceding Regiments from which it evolved. The space is open on Wednesday nights and can also be opened by special request.

Here you will also find a display of the historic colours � the Regimental flags of The Queen�s Rangers, which were purchased in England in 1923 from A.H. Linton Simcoe, a descendant John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada and commander of The Queen�s�s Rangers during the American Revolutionary War and later in Upper Canada.

For inquiries related to the archives of The Queen�s York Ranger�s Museum, please contact the Curator, LCol Diane Kruger at rhq@qyrang.org"