Did British Army Use Garand?

We have an argument on our clan website (www.the82ndAB.com) about whether or not the we British used the Garand rifle during the 2nd World War.
Could someone give a definitive answer as we have Canadian, Americans and Brits arguing over this!!!
The argument stems from Call of Duty 2 in which the Brits use the weapon in game.
Thanks for the help images/smilies/default/cool.gif

 

(Meyer @ Nov 1 2005, 11:07 PM) [post=40952] We have an argument on our clan website (www.the82ndAB.com) about whether or not the we British used the Garand rifle during the 2nd World War.
Could someone give a definitive answer as we have Canadian, Americans and Brits arguing over this!!!
The argument stems from Call of Duty 2 in which the Brits use the weapon in game.
Thanks for the help images/smilies/default/cool.gif
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No, the British army did not use the M1 Garand.

The rifle used by the British was the Lee-Enfield SMLE Mk, 4


They did make some use of M1 carbine, for second line units, which may be the cause of the confusion

 

Meyer, some issue and use of the Garand did take place among the Commandos. Probably the first instance was prior to the Dieppe Raid in August 1942 when No.3 Cdo CO, John Durnford-Slater, got a small quantity from the US Rangers who were attached for the raid.

On a larger and formal scale, No.1 and No.6 Cdos were issued with Garands for Operation Torch, November 1942. It was felt the French opposition would be more likely to submit to American forces than British, following the destruction of the French fleet by the Royal Navy. British troops were therefore 'camouflaged' to blend in with US troops. Some references state the Commandos wore American uniforms, however, following objections it became limited to Garand rifles and US helmets.

No.9

 

images/smilies/default/biggrin.gif Thanks for the replies, the Commando scenario seems to ring a bell and would meet the criteria of small quantities of the garand finding their way into British forces hands.
I will post your replies onto our forums.
Thanks again appreciate your help images/smilies/default/biggrin.gif images/smilies/default/biggrin.gif

 

Royal Marine Commandos were issued with the Garand during the Korean War. don't know about WWII.

 

3rd Infantry Division, slated to form part of the Commonwealth Corps for DOWNFALL, would have re-equiped with U.S. arms and equipment. Obviously, this did not occur historically.

 

Haven't got much to offer on the actual question, but thought this would be a good place to load an image of the recent DVD cover for "A Bridge too Far" - it shows what appears to be a British AB officer brandishing what appears to be a M1 Garand.

I don't know if this what triggered the original question, but I'm pretty certain the image doesn't come from the actual movie (artistic license by the bloke who made up the cover?).

Anyway, the cover had me intrigued so I thought I would make it my offering to this thread.

 

Yes they did, in Tunisia,and a number of SF units, and some of the Chindits used the M1 Garand, the M1 carbine was also used in the Far East and Med

 

From AWM. Description

1942-12-28. PAPUA. INFANTRY BACK UP ATTACK ON BUNA BY AUSTRALIAN MANNED GENERAL STUART TANKS. THE AUSTRALIAN IN THE PHOTO IS FIRING AN M1 GARAND RIFLE AT JAPS IN A PILLBOX 30 YARDS AWAY. HE GOT THREE. THE AUSTRALIAN WITH THE M1928A1 THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN IS CONCENTRATING ON A JAP SNIPER 60 YARDS AWAY. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN DURING THE FIGHTING. AUSTRALIANS IN THE PHOTO DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE BEING PHOTOGRAPHED.

 

Yes they did, in Tunisia,and a number of SF units, and some of the Chindits used the M1 Garand, the M1 carbine was also used in the Far East and Med

Yes, used in the far east by some units with I think the intention of simplifying supply since they could use US .3" ammunition.

Kev

 

Haven't got much to offer on the actual question, but thought this would be a good place to load an image of the recent DVD cover for "A Bridge too Far" - it shows what appears to be a British AB officer brandishing what appears to be a M1 Garand.

I'm fairly certain it's a cut-and-paste job on the character based on the real-life Tatham-Warter - the Garand replaced his umbrella.

 

Hi

See attached picture from Feb 1945. The Welsh Guardsman is armed with a Garand but I would expect this to be an exception rather than a rule. It would have caused logistical problems unless co-located with Americans as the British supply chain would have carried .303 ammo for Lee Enfields. The No4 Lee Enfield was the primary British Army rifle until replaced by the L1A1 SLR in the mid '50's

Smudge

 

I fired one! At Ballykinler NI. At the weapons unit. Nice video of the EM2 (Enfield rifle No 9) on Youtube - 'EM2 assault Rifle', The EM2,Garand and the No 4 are shown being fired by SASC at the School of Infantry Warminster 1951.

 

Good find Andy

 

42 and 44 Commando 1944-5 pic courtesy of www.commandoveterans.org

Note Garands

Smudge

 

Some good stuff gents , asked this question I would have said "no".

 

Actually the Army Commandos in Burma also used the Garand

This extract is taken from Lt Col Ken Trevor's, 1 Commando, account of the action at Kangaw.


The plan was for the No. 1 Commando leading the assault supported by 5 Commando had to seize the hill and 42 Commando were to hold the banks of the Chaung at the beachhead. On 23rd January, 42 Commando were to advance and capture Kangaw itself. 44 Commando were to seize and hold Pinner. On 25th January, 51 Brigade composed of 19th Battalion Hydrabads, the 16th/10th Baluchis and the 2nd Punjabis (all Indian Brigade) were to advance. One of the advantages 1 Commando had over the other units was that we had brought from North Africa when we were with the Americans, Garand self-loading rifles with a bore of .3” with which they were armed. These rifles give a very high rate of fire, we also had the normal British – .303 LMG’s, 3” mortars and American Thompson Sub-machine guns. We decided not to wear steel helmets but would wear our green berets.


PS 44 RM were using the Enfield Mark in 1943/44 and on 13th March 1944 Operation Screwdriver, one selfdischarged killing the Padre and slightly wounding the CO.
Must have had a personal reason for opting for the Garand!

Change -over happened sometime in 1944.

 

The British Garands had a red band painted around their forends with .30 on it in black to indicate a nonstandard cartridge. So did the M1917 Enfields, where it was especially important to distinguish them from the P14s.

Dave