Post by Richard Fisher on Dec 3, 2005 10:43:07 GMT 1
Morning All, and what a rainy morning it is (in the UK anyway),
Can anybody shed any light on a firm answer on the type of personal firearms that a British Vickers Machine Gunner carried in WW2?
In the Small Arms Training manuals of the time, it says that a Machine Carbine (Thompson or Sten) was supplied at one per section (2 guns) and would be carried by the Section Corporal (the section 2ic).
However, in the 'Grand Old Lady' (Goldsmith, 1994), a diagram is shown within the WW2 section of the Battalion layout and this identifies the firearms of a platoon being 10 pistols and 30 rifles. This would indicate that both the No.1 and No. 2 for each gun would be armed with a pistol (8 pistols) and then the Section Commander and possibly 2ic would also be so armed.
In addition to this, I seem to remember from my Rex Fendick book (Which has gone missing) that he reminds the reader that the British MG section was armed with long-arms (i.e. Rifle or M/C) while their Commonwealth counterparts (the Canadians and Australians) were armed with pistols.
I understand that there are exceptions, well photo-graphed, in 'elite' units using pistols, such as the 6th Airborne (shown in 'Go To It') and the Commandos (IWM Image BU 2329) but I am interested in the core Divisional Support Battalions of the Cheshires, Middlesex, Manchester, Kensington Regiments and Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
If anybody can help shed any further light on the matter, I would be most appreciative.
Regards
Richard
Can anybody shed any light on a firm answer on the type of personal firearms that a British Vickers Machine Gunner carried in WW2?
In the Small Arms Training manuals of the time, it says that a Machine Carbine (Thompson or Sten) was supplied at one per section (2 guns) and would be carried by the Section Corporal (the section 2ic).
However, in the 'Grand Old Lady' (Goldsmith, 1994), a diagram is shown within the WW2 section of the Battalion layout and this identifies the firearms of a platoon being 10 pistols and 30 rifles. This would indicate that both the No.1 and No. 2 for each gun would be armed with a pistol (8 pistols) and then the Section Commander and possibly 2ic would also be so armed.
In addition to this, I seem to remember from my Rex Fendick book (Which has gone missing) that he reminds the reader that the British MG section was armed with long-arms (i.e. Rifle or M/C) while their Commonwealth counterparts (the Canadians and Australians) were armed with pistols.
I understand that there are exceptions, well photo-graphed, in 'elite' units using pistols, such as the 6th Airborne (shown in 'Go To It') and the Commandos (IWM Image BU 2329) but I am interested in the core Divisional Support Battalions of the Cheshires, Middlesex, Manchester, Kensington Regiments and Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
If anybody can help shed any further light on the matter, I would be most appreciative.
Regards
Richard