Canada arsenal in the WW2

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audetnelson1

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I have 2 question :

1- I would like to know if the canada use the tommye gun m1a1 during the ww2 ? On wikepedia.com i can see the canada used the 1928a1 tommy gun... no mention about the m1a1.

2- anyone have a complete list of the handgun, carbine, and submachine gun the canade used during the ww2 ?

Thanks
 
I knew a Canadian Vet who used them (sadly he has passed on)
I'll never forget the story he told me how he was wounded .
In Italy he was part of a group who blew up communication & RR lines behind enemy lines .
He told me about the day he @ his buddy were taking it easy in a so called safe area. They were walking down the road with a few bottles of wine & a couple chickens they happened to liberate . A German hiding in the woods cut loose with a MP40 . They dove in the ditch he was struck twice
(still had a 9mm slug in him when I knew him) unfortunately his buddy was killed . He stayed in the ditch & played dead until he heard a jeep coming . Turned out to be an American patrol . Wile they tended to him & his dead companion one jeep left . Then he heard machinegun fire and a couple minutes later a Jeep with a pedestal mounted 30 cal pulled up with a dead German draped over the spare tire .
He told me they carried the Thompsons
 
I found this, but although it briefly mentions the M1, it does not say if they were used by the Canadians. All the illustrations show the '21 & '28 models.

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/weapons/smgs/thompson.htm
Thompsona.jpg


Hopefully some other Milsurp members can chime in....
 
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I worked with a Canadian WW2 Vet that carried a Thompson. He never said which model it was, but he really liked it. He also carried an MP40 and he liked that better than the Thompson. He passed away last year.
 
#1bcshooter said:
I knew a Canadian Vet who used them (sadly he has passed on)
I'll never forget the story he told me how he was wounded .
In Italy he was part of a group who blew up communication & RR lines behind enemy lines .
He told me about the day he @ his buddy were taking it easy in a so called safe area. They were walking down the road with a few bottles of wine & a couple chickens they happened to liberate . A German hiding in the woods cut loose with a MP40 . They dove in the ditch he was struck twice
(still had a 9mm slug in him when I knew him) unfortunately his buddy was killed . He stayed in the ditch & played dead until he heard a jeep coming . Turned out to be an American patrol . Wile they tended to him & his dead companion one jeep left . Then he heard machinegun fire and a couple minutes later a Jeep with a pedestal mounted 30 cal pulled up with a dead German draped over the spare tire .
He told me they carried the Thompsons
Click to expand...

wow. thanks for shared this story....
hope anyone will be able to confirm if the m1a1 was used by canadian soldier.

And if anyone have a list of the pistol, carbine and SMG used by canadian during WW2.
I think about perhaps set my WW2 milsurp collection in that way ...
 
The Thompson SMG, both M1928A1 and M1/M1A1, were standard issue for Cdn units serving in Sicily and Italy as part of the 8th Army. When 1st Cdn Corps re-located to NW Europe in 1945 to become part of 1st Cdn Army, the Thompsons were turned in for STENs (AKA "stench gun") which were the standard SMG in that theatre. This change was not received with enthusiasm.

Thompson SMGs were also issued as on board/checklist equipment for the Sherman tank. At one point in time the Cdn War Museum in Ottawa had an M1A1 on display which featured C/broad arrow markings.
 
purple said:
The Thompson SMG, both M1928A1 and M1/M1A1, were standard issue for Cdn units serving in Sicily and Italy as part of the 8th Army. When 1st Cdn Corps re-located to NW Europe in 1945 to become part of 1st Cdn Army, the Thompsons were turned in for STENs (AKA "stench gun") which were the standard SMG in that theatre. This change was not received with enthusiasm.

Thompson SMGs were also issued as on board/checklist equipment for the Sherman tank. At one point in time the Cdn War Museum in Ottawa had an M1A1 on display which featured C/broad arrow markings.
Click to expand...

THX a lot for these information !
 
Like most Commonwealth nations, the M1928a1 was the most common variant of the Thompson seen in the hands of Canadian soldiers, but many photos show use of the M1/M1A1 as well (particularly in Italy).

Here's a great collection of photos and info on Canadian usage of tommy guns:
http://www.perthregiment.org/rperth11.html


As for sidearms, off the top of my head:
S&W Military & Police Revolver
Enfield No.2 Mk.I* Revolver
Webley Mk.VI & Mk. IV Revolvers (probably pretty rare for Canucks)
Inglis No.2 Mk.I* Pistol (late war issue, mostly 1 Can Para guys)

SMGs and Carbines you got the Sten Mk.2 & the Mk.V for airborne troops....FSSF soldiers would have used US kit and weapons as well.
 
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My granddad carried a Thompson through Italy. He eventually had to give it up for a sten though. He loved his Thompson, and did not give it up willingly, especially for a piece of junk like the sten
 
The Commonwealth and France contracted for Model 1928 TSMG's. When Lend-Lease started, all 1928's were marked Model of 1928a1 because they were US Property. The Model of 1928 marking was on British/Commonwealth contract guns paid for by them.
 
purple said:
The Thompson SMG, both M1928A1 and M1/M1A1, were standard issue for Cdn units serving in Sicily and Italy as part of the 8th Army. When 1st Cdn Corps re-located to NW Europe in 1945 to become part of 1st Cdn Army, the Thompsons were turned in for STENs (AKA "stench gun") which were the standard SMG in that theatre. This change was not received with enthusiasm.

Thompson SMGs were also issued as on board/checklist equipment for the Sherman tank. At one point in time the Cdn War Museum in Ottawa had an M1A1 on display which featured C/broad arrow markings.
Click to expand...

Also, for example, the Fox.
 
First Canadian Parachute Battalion regularly carried Thompsons.

They were also notoriously known for using captured enemy weapons, to their advantage.

Since 1 CanPara was under British control (i.e. 6th Br Airborne Division), and since AB troops were considered "Bastard Sons",
perhaps many an officious eye was cast aside in view of their battlefield successes.
 
Higgs602 said:
Like most Commonwealth nations, the M1928a1 was the most common variant of the Thompson seen in the hands of Canadian soldiers, but many photos show use of the M1/M1A1 as well (particularly in Italy).

Here's a great collection of photos and info on Canadian usage of tommy guns:
http://www.perthregiment.org/rperth11.html


As for sidearms, off the top of my head:
S&W Military & Police Revolver
Enfield No.2 Mk.I* Revolver
Webley Mk.VI & Mk. IV Revolvers (probably pretty rare for Canuc
Inglis No.2 Mk.I* Pistol (late war issue, mostly 1 Can Para guys)

SMGs and Carbines you got the Sten Mk.2 & the Mk.V for airborne troops....FSSF soldiers would have used US kit and weapons as well.
Click to expand...

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I believe the OP means "rifle" when he says "carbine." Forgive me again, but it sounds as though the OP is French, where "carabine" and "fusil" both refer to what in English we would call a "rifle." In that case, the main Canadian service rifle is the Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.1*.

If on the other hand, the OP is using the word "carbine" in the English sense, as in a short, light, easy-handling rifle, then you would be correct with the Mk. V (Jungle Carbine). However, that carbine never made it into the hands of front line infantrymen. The hard slogging in Italy, France, and the Netherlands was done by the No. 4 Mk.1*.
 
audetnelson1 said:
I have 2 question :

1- I would like to know if the canada use the tommye gun m1a1 during the ww2 ? On wikepedia.com i can see the canada used the 1928a1 tommy gun... no mention about the m1a1.

2- anyone have a complete list of the handgun, carbine, and submachine gun the canade used during the ww2 ?

Thanks
Click to expand...

This wiki page has a listing of Canadian infantry arms going all the way back to Confederation and mentions the M1A1 (it lists it as "Thompson M1928-M1A1" so I'm assuming it means all Thompson variants from the 1928 to the M1A1).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_infantry_weapons_and_equipment_of_the_Canadian_military#First_World_War_to_Second_World_War_.281914_-_1939.29

The page isn't very well referenced so I'm not sure how accurate or complete the list is but it looks pretty close to me.
 
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