Korean War - firearms

[Garand]

http://thegca.org/wp-content/upload...apons-and-Equipment-in-Korea-1952-reduced.pdf

Excellent read! May I also suggest "Infantry Operations & Weapons Usage in Korea" by SLA Marshall and "US Infantry Weapons in Combat" by Mark G. Goodwin. Both very interesting not only of the firearms performance but it also covers the training/lack of training of the participants.

 

[slarsen47]

I just watched the full documentary.

Simply amazing true stories from the battlefield these brave men survived.

What so many endured and so few that came back.

 

[buckbrush]

The first Canadians in Korea was a battalion of the P.P.C.L.I. They were issued U.S. weapons.

 

[x westie]

The first Canadians in Korea was a battalion of the P.P.C.L.I. They were issued U.S. weapons.

Are you sure about that , basically you are saying they turned in their issued No.4 rifles , Bren guns , Stens and were issued M1 rifles, carbines , any photos of the 2nd Battalion, PPCLI I have seen of the battalion in Korea, they either were carrying or a slung No.4 rifle ,& Bren guns , some officers did acquire the M1 carbine, and the carbine were issued out for night patrols , US 30 cal machine guns for dug in defence, plus I have seen photos of the 303 water cooled Vickers gun

 

[Brutus]

Are you sure about that , basically you are saying they turned in their issued No.4 rifles , Bren guns , Stens and were issued M1 rifles, carbines , any photos of the 2nd Battalion, PPCLI I have seen of the battalion in Korea, they either were carrying or a slung No.4 rifle ,& Bren guns , some officers did acquire the M1 carbine, and the carbine were issued out for night patrols , US 30 cal machine guns for dug in defence, plus I have seen photos of the 303 water cooled Vickers gun

It's interesting that one never sees photos of the #5 Lee Enfield Jungle Carbine in the hands of any Commonwealth soldier in the Korean theatre?
Certainly a few years later this carbine was commonly seen during the Malayan Emergency.

 

[buckbrush]

Are you sure about that , basically you are saying they turned in their issued No.4 rifles , Bren guns , Stens and were issued M1 rifles, carbines , any photos of the 2nd Battalion, PPCLI I have seen of the battalion in Korea, they either were carrying or a slung No.4 rifle ,& Bren guns , some officers did acquire the M1 carbine, and the carbine were issued out for night patrols , US 30 cal machine guns for dug in defence, plus I have seen photos of the 303 water cooled Vickers gun

I am not certain which battalion it was, I am reporting what was stated on a documentary on Canadian involvement in Korea.

 

[bearhunter]

Are you sure about that , basically you are saying they turned in their issued No.4 rifles , Bren guns , Stens and were issued M1 rifles, carbines , any photos of the 2nd Battalion, PPCLI I have seen of the battalion in Korea, they either were carrying or a slung No.4 rifle ,& Bren guns , some officers did acquire the M1 carbine, and the carbine were issued out for night patrols , US 30 cal machine guns for dug in defence, plus I have seen photos of the 303 water cooled Vickers gun

Might be something here

Recipe for Victory: The Fight for Hill 677 during the Battle of ...https://scholars.wlu.ca › cgi › viewcontentPDF
by B Watson · 2000 — At this time, 2 PPCLI, now on US. Army scale, was issued with its new American- pattern support weapons and vehicles.

 

[Ganderite]

Might be something here

Recipe for Victory: The Fight for Hill 677 during the Battle of ...https://scholars.wlu.ca › cgi › viewcontentPDF
by B Watson · 2000 — At this time, 2 PPCLI, now on US. Army scale, was issued with its new American- pattern support weapons and vehicles.

I was about to say that I understood that some Canadian units were in the American supply system.

 

[recce]

Are you sure about that , basically you are saying they turned in their issued No.4 rifles , Bren guns , Stens and were issued M1 rifles, carbines , any photos of the 2nd Battalion, PPCLI I have seen of the battalion in Korea, they either were carrying or a slung No.4 rifle ,& Bren guns , some officers did acquire the M1 carbine, and the carbine were issued out for night patrols , US 30 cal machine guns for dug in defence, plus I have seen photos of the 303 water cooled Vickers gun

I don't know about Korea, but this would not a a first for Cdn soldiers.
Think of the invasion force for Kiska island and the 1st SSF.

 

[cyclone]

Might be something here

Recipe for Victory: The Fight for Hill 677 during the Battle of ...https://scholars.wlu.ca › cgi › viewcontentPDF
by B Watson · 2000 — At this time, 2 PPCLI, now on US. Army scale, was issued with its new American- pattern support weapons and vehicles.

Yes, it's my understanding that many Canadian support weapons - including .50 machine guns - were obtained from the Americans...

 

[beltfed]

If anyone is looking for a good insight into the Korean conflict, the book "Beyond the Danger Close" by Hub Gray is an interesting read about 2nd Battalion PPCLI's fight.
It has been years since I've read it, but I believe the 2nd Battalion were carted off to Korea with little equipment beyond the clothes on their back, being kitted out in theatre.

 

[Ganderite]

If anyone is looking for a good insight into the Korean conflict, the book "Beyond the Danger Close" by Hub Gray is an interesting read about 2nd Battalion PPCLI's fight.
It has been years since I've read it, but I believe the 2nd Battalion were carted off to Korea with little equipment beyond the clothes on their back, being kitted out in theatre.

Maybe with American gear?

 

[x westie]

Maybe with American gear?

Canadian Army was totally unprepared for the Korean War , the troops used the the No.4 rifles , Bren gun, Sten gun, Vickers MG , but also acquired M1 carbines , with over 6 million carbines manufactured, the Yanks were generously dishing carbines out to anybody , some Thompson SMG , 3.75 inch rocket launcher, Browning cal GPMG , US half tracks , US deuce &1/2 trucks Sherman tanks , US rations , US winter clothing, US buckle boots

 

[bros]

Here are some memoirs from an armourer in Korea.....Bob Faris......lots of interesting information as well as problems associated with weapons while in use there. You will find this link most interesting and more so about a real interesting fellow who loved all firearms. His personal collection amassed over the years and much of it while invovlved in testing weapons at Aberdeen Proving Ground was auctioned off at Poulins Auctions a few years back. Bob owned some rare species, ironically his favorite rifles to shoot were Lee Enfields and he owned quite a number of snipers.

http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/memoirs/faris_bob/index.htm

 

[cyclone]

Here are some memoirs from an armourer in Korea.....Bob Faris......lots of interesting information as well as problems associated with weapons while in use there. You will find this link most interesting and more so about a real interesting fellow who loved all firearms. His personal collection amassed over the years and much of it while invovlved in testing weapons at Aberdeen Proving Ground was auctioned off at Poulins Auctions a few years back. Bob owned some rare species, ironically his favorite rifles to shoot were Lee Enfields and he owned quite a number of snipers.

http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/memoirs/faris_bob/index.htm

Thanks for that!


I also finally found a PDF of SLA Marshall's work on Korea and small arms, at https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4013coll11/id/1350

 

[dan belisle]

The first Canadians in Korea was a battalion of the P.P.C.L.I. They were issued U.S. weapons.

Had a friend now passed who was a sniper with PPCLI in Korea. He was issued the #4 sniper version. Still had one when i met him, though I doubt it was the one he was issued. - dan

 

[beltfed]

Maybe with American gear?

Well, I guess I have mis-remembered the book - just means I need to read it again.
I can't remember where I got that from; maybe it was initial contingents being rushed to the peninsula that I read somewhere else.

An Excerpt from Pg. 103 of Beyond the Danger Close:

"The Government of Canada has armed us with the Lee-Enfield Rifle. It is a relic not basically altered Since the First World War. It has a bolt action that requires cocking before each firing. A few Canucks acquired or "liberated" US carbines that could be bought for $30 or a bottle of booze, and on occasion for a bottle of Asahi beer. Our soldiers were allowed to have a quart of Asahi beer, purchased price .25 cents, about every two weeks or so, when things were quiet in the line. Alcohol is forbidden ifor Americans in Korea."