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Basic Infantry Weapons in 1941 ...
The Lee Enfield .303 Rifle Standard issue work horse of the Canadian, British and Indian troops, and many other allied armies in 1941. Rugged, dependable and extremely accurate, it was an infantry man's best friend. This rifle is so accurate, a sniper once put 38 rounds in a 4" circle at a distance of 300 yards within 60 seconds using the stock sights, a record that has never been equaled. Most Lee Enfield .303's were manufactured between 1895 and 1898.
The Bren Gun A light machine gun which was another work horse of the infantry. Air cooled and gas operated, it fired a .303 bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2440 fps and was accurate to 600 yards at a rate of 500 rpm. It had the unusual 'feel' of pulling forward when fired. It was one of the finest weapons developed in WWII. A large number of these weapons fell into the hands of the Japanese after the fall of Hong Kong.
Made famous during the roaring days of prohibition in the U.S. It was the weapon of choice of gangsters who valued its fire-power. It weighed just over 10 pounds empty, and had either a 20 round box magazine, or a 50 round circular one. Used by both the British and the US forces in WWII.
The Lewis Light Machine Gun A light gas operated air cooled machine gun with a rotating 47 round or 97 round drum. Developed in 1911 in the US for use in WWI , it was still in use in WWII. Each platoon was issued one and it provided deadly fire power.
The Vickers Heavy Machine Gun The water-cooled Vickers Heavy Machine Gun fired .303 caliber bullets at 450 to 600 rounds per minute. This weapon had deadly fire-power. At 60 lbs. plus the weight of 7.5 pints of water to keep it cool it was heavy and cumbersome. It required a team of 8 men to operate the gun. According to some it was often used as a 'teapot'. A belt of ammo fired off would heat the water so that the crew could enjoy a cuppa tea...
The Webley Caliber .455 Revolver Standard issue for officers in the British, Canadian and Indian forces in Hong Kong. It kicked like a mule and was only good at close range but it was deadly. ________________________________________ |
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