1918 British Contract RAF .455 Colt Government Model Pistol/WWII Service

Here for your viewing pleasure are photos of my WWI RAF British military proofed Colt 1911. It was one of 400 pistols shipped to Captain Sir Connop Guthrie, Pier 60, North River NY NY on March 12, 1918. Guthrie was the Special Representative for the British Ministry of Shipping in the U.S. and a member of the U.S. Shipping Commission in 1918. It has the view mark for G.W.R. Steadman, British Inspector at the Colt New Haven Factory and the British Broad Arrow and Crossed Pennant military acceptance marks. Serial number is W 100744. Close ups show barrel markings indicating .455 Self Loading Webley Automatic cartridge length .900 inch, pressure 9 tons/square inch. Many of these pistols were refurbished by the British for WWII service mainly with the Air/Sea Rescue Service
as was this one.