What Weapons did the Britsh Army Use in WWII >?

Question

What Weapons did the British Army use during WWII

Answer 1

Bog standard infantry weapon of the British infantry was:



Lee Enfield No.1 Mk III later phased out and replaced by the No. 4 Mk I. Some troops were issued with the No.5 towards the end of the war (the so called Jungle Carbine).



Thompson sub machine guns, on the whole phased out and replaced by Sten Guns (although the following image shows some troops still using the former in 1944: http://www.uyuganbatanes.com/D-Day-02). A handful of Lancaster and Sterling sub machine guns were also used.



The Bren machine gun provided the main firepower of the infantry section. They were issued generally 1 per 12 man section, sometimes two. It was a 30- round magazine fed machine gun. On the whole the British did not use any belt fed light machine guns. The Indian Army used a similar weapon called the Vickers-Berthier.



Anti-tank protection was provided by the Boys Anti Tank Rifle, which mid war was replaced with the PIAT: a spigot mortar.



A whole range of grenades were used, although the most common was the Mills Bomb.



Platoon based mortar fire was provided by the 2 inch mortar, while battalion fire was provided by the 3 inch mortar.



Machine gun companies were attached to each battalion, they provided the heavy defensive machine gun fire thru the use of the Vickers Machine Gun.



Anti-tank companies were added to the infantry battalion during the war. Initially they were equipped with the 2 pounder anti-tank gun, but were replaced with the 6 pounder mid war. During the latter war years the 6 pounder was complimented with the 17 pounder.



The artillery was equipped with various guns in the early war years, including the old 18 pounder guns of the First World War. When gun production increased, the field artillery was equipped with the 25 pounder, and the medium and heavy regiments with 4.5 and 5 inch guns.



The following website highlights how weapons were utilized:



http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/British/british_army.htm



In addition, the war establishment strength (on-paper) of the infantry division that went to war in 1939 stated the division should have 1,486 pistols, 10,222 rifles, 361 Boys rifles, 644 Bren Guns, 56 Vickers, 108 2 inch mortars, 18 3 inch mortars, 72 field guns, 48 2-pounder anti tank guns, and 27 25mm anti air craft guns.



By 1941 this was changed to: 1,948 pistols, 12,034 rifles, 444 Boys rifles, 451 sub machine guns (machine carbines), 768 Bren guns, 51 twin bren guns (anti-aircraft weapon), 48 Vickers, 162 2 inch mortars, 56 3 inch mortars, 72 25-pounder field guns, 24 2-pounder anti tank guns, and 48 40mm anti aircraft guns.



In 1944, it was stated the infantry should have: 1,011 pistols, 11,254 rifles, 6,525 Sten guns, 1,252 bren guns, 40 Vickers, 283 2 inch mortars, 60 3 inch mortars, 16 4.2 mortars, 436 PIATs, 71 20-mm anti air craft guns, 36 40mm anti aircraft guns, 18 self propelled anti aircraft guns, 72 25-pounders field guns, 78 6-pounder anti-tank guns, and 32 17-pounder anti-tank guns.



Of course, this was different for say armoured divisions.



Source: Lt-Col Joslen, Orders of Battle

Answer 2

It would depend on the units but most Infantry had the Lee-Enfield .303 Rifle of various models

Answer 3

Wikipedia has a page on this

Answer 4

Do you mind being a little bit more specific..

Answer 5

Rifles

De Lisle Silent Carbine - Specialist issue, very low number produced.

Enfield Pattern 14 (P14) - Used as a marksman weapon until the No.IV Mk.I(T) was introduced, also issued in large number to the LDV.

M1917 Enfield - Issued to LDV.

Martini-Enfield - Used as a reserve arm by Commonwealth troops from India, New Zealand, etc.

Lee Enfield No.1 Mk.III* - Lee Enfield rifle in service at the beginning of the war, supplemented and replaced by the No.4 Mk.I by mid-war.

Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.1 + No.4 Mk.I(T) - Lee Enfield rifle that replaced the No.I Mk.III* in larger numbers mid-war.

Lee Enfield No.5 Mk.I Jungle Carbine - Introduced in 1944 to replace the longer No.1 Mk.III*, and No.4 Mk.I rifles for when in use in the jungles of the Far East.

M1 Garand - American rifle, used in small quantities by special units.

M1 & M1A1 Carbine - American rifle, used in small quantities by special units.



Submachine Guns

Lanchester - British submachine gun, developed from the German MP28, used by the Royal Navy & Royal Air Force.

Sten - British submachine gun from late 1941/early 1942, to the end of the war.

Thompson - American submachine gun used in large numbers until the Sten gun was introduced.



Machine Guns

Bren light machine gun - Light machine gun through the whole of the war.

Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) - Issued to British Home Guard

Lewis Gun - In service with some infantry at outbreak of war in small numbers, issued to British Home Guard for the rest of the war.

Vicker Gas Operated (VGO) "Vickers K" - Aircraft machinegun, used in specialist roles on Long Range Desert Group and Special Air Service vehicles in North Africa, as well as a short-lived infantry machine gun with the Commandos.

Vickers Medium Machine Gun - Standard medium machine gun of the British Army since 1912.

Browning M1919 - Mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.

Browning M2 - Mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.

Machine Gun, 7.92 mm BESA and 15 mm BESA - British versions of the Czech ZB53 (Model 37) machine gun used as tank and armoured car armament only.

Vickers-Berthier - Indian Commonwealth troops.



Handguns

Enfield No.2 Mk.1 Revolver

Webley Revolver - many marks in .38 and .455 calibres

Browning FN-Inglis "Pistol No.II Mk.I*"

Colt M1911A1

Webley No.I Mk.I - (Automatic pistol in .455 inch). Issued to the Royal Navy

Welrod - silenced pistol

Smith & Wesson Model 10

Colt New Service

Colt Official Police



Grenades

Grenade, Hand or Rifle, No.36M Mk.I "Mills Bomb"

"Grenade, Rifle No.68 /AT" HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) Rifle Grenade

No.69 Mk.I Bakelite Concussion Hand Grenade

No.76, Special Incendiary Phosphorus Hand Grenade

No.73 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade "Thermos Grenade"

Grenade, Hand, No.74 ST "Sticky Bomb"

No.75 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade "Hawkins Grenade"/"Hawkins Mine"

No.77 White Phosphorus Hand Grenade

Grenade, Hand, No. 82 "Gammon Bomb"

Para 9 45 defender



Other

No.II Mk.II Flamethrower "Lifebuoy"

Lewes bomb - Used by the SAS

Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife



Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons

Blacker Bombard - spigot mortar firing HE round

Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys "Boys Anti-Tank Rifle" - Infantry anti-tank weapon (prewar - 1943).

Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (PIAT) - Infantry anti-tank weapon (1943 until end of war)



Edit- @Mark That's where I got this massive wall of information from, heh.