Read the following passage and answer if the question is true or false.
Passage: The first semi-automatic rifle adopted and widely issued by a major military power (France) was the Fusil Automatique Modele 1917. This is a locked breech, gas-operated action which is very similar in its mechanical principles to the future M1 Garand in the United States. The M1917 was fielded during the latter stages of World War I but it did not receive a favorable reception. However its shortened and improved version, the Model 1918, was much more favourably received during the Moroccan Rif War from 1920 to 1926. The Lebel bolt-action rifle remained the standard French infantry rifle until replaced in 1936 by the MAS-36 despite the various semi-automatic rifles designed between 1918 and 1935.

Question: did they have semi automatic weapons in ww1?

Is the answer True or False? Respond with only "True" or "False" and no additional text.
True
True. The passage states that France adopted and issued the semi-automatic Fusil Automatique Modele 1917 during the latter