FIREPOWER

Henri Lecorre’s Rosalie,

Henri Lecorre was a World War I French Canadian soldier who joined 22nd Battalion of the Canadian Army on April 14th, 1915.  When Lecorre was issued his Lee Enfield No. 1 Mark III bolt action rifle, he christened the rifle “Rosalie” but carving the name on the stock along with his unit number. As the war waged, Lecorre carved the names of the many battles he participated in and survived, most notably Vimy Ridge, Arras, and Passchendaele. When a commanding officer discovered what Lacorre was doing to the rifle, he had Lacorre thrown in the stockade and fined for “defacing the King’s property”. The rifle was confiscated and slated to be destroyed, however a civilian scrap dealer recovered the rifle and returned it to Lacorre. The rifle was lost again after being stolen, but when Lacorre learned it was on display at a French tavern, he posed as a military policeman and reclaimed the rifle. Once again the rifle was discovered by a superior officer and ordered destroyed, however Lacorre fooled the authorities by carving another rifle and having that rifle sent to be scrapped.

Henri Lecorre lost Rosalie for good near the end of the war when he was seriously wounded. He was sent to a field hospital, but the rifle never went with him. Rosalie was recovered at the battlefield and sent to the Royal Small Arms factory as a historic piece. In 1943, during World War II, the rifle was presented to Canadian Gen. Andrew McNaughton, who returned the rifle to the Royal 22nd Battalion. Eventually Rosalie was put on display at the La Citadelle de Quebec museum. 

In 1956 Henri Lecorre visited the museum, and to his surprise recognized his Rosalie on display.Henri Lecorre passed away in 1963.

A high definition picture of Rosalie can be found in the link below.

Tie Me Down!