List of World War II weapons of the United Kingdom
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Small Arms
Rifles
- De Lisle Carbine - Specialist issue,129 made
- 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*,
Submachine guns
- Lanchester - British submachine gun, developed from the German MP28, used by the Royal Navy & Royal Air Force.
- Sten - simple design low cost British submachine gun in service from late 1941 to the end of the war.
- Thompson - American submachine gun used in large numbers until the Sten gun was introduced.
- Sterling/Patchett Machine Carbine Mark 1- British submachine gun first produced in 1944 and trialled and used in small numbers during war..
Machine guns
- Bren light machine gun - Light machine gun for infantry use introduced in 1930s and used throughout the whole of the war.
- Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) - Issued to 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.
- Vickers "K" machine gun also known as VGO - Fast firing aircraft machine gun, 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 machine gun - Standard medium machine gun of the British Army since 1912.
- Browning M1919 - Mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.
- Browning M2 - heavy machine gun, mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.
- Besa machine gun - in 7.92 mm BESA and 15 mm BESA forms used as armament on British-built tanks and armoured cars only.
- Vickers-Berthier - Light machine gun adopted by Indian Army pre-war and used Indian Commonwealth troops.
- Besal - A machine gun that was a good alternative to the Bren gun as it was lighter, simpler, and cheaper to manufacture. The design was by Henry Faulkner of Birmingham Small Arms who also manufactured the larger Besa machine gun.
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".
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 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).
Artillery
Anti-tank guns
- Ordnance QF 2-pounder - 40 mm weapon used at start of the war
- Ordnance QF 6-pounder - 57 mm weapon that replaced 2-pounder in artillery units
- Ordnance QF 17-pounder - 76 mm weapon introduced later in war for artillery units
Guns and howitzers
- Ordnance QF 25-pounder Gun-howitzer
- BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun
- BL 4.5-inch Medium Field Gun
- BL 7.2-inch Howitzer Mk.I
- BL 8-inch Howitzer - siege gun
- BL 60-pounder gun - 5 inch gun from First World War era, replaced by 4.5 inch gun during war
- 75 mm Pack Howitzer M1 and M8 - US supplied portable howitzer for use in mountainous areas
- QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer
- Smith Gun - smoothbore weapon for Home Guard use only
Anti-aircraft artillery
- 20 mm Oerlikon
- 20 mm Polsten - lower cost development of Oerlikon
- 40 mm Bofors
- QF 3 inch 20 cwt
- QF 3.7 inch AA gun
- QF 4.5-inch Mark 1 to Mark V
Mortars
- 2 Inch Mortar
- 3 Inch Mortar
- Blacker Bombard
- Northover projector - Home Guard use.
Vehicles
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see also List of World War II military vehicles by country, United Kingdom
Light tanks
Medium tanks
- Tank, Medium, Mk.II - Used in small scale in the early battles in North Africa, from then; dug into ground with turret protruding for defence, in North Africa, & Great Britain.
- General Grant - Medium Tank M3, purchased from America, to British specification.
- General Lee - Medium Tank M3, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
- General Sherman - Medium Tank M4, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
- Sherman Firefly - Sherman tank, rearmed with a British 17-pdr gun.
Cruiser tanks
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.I (A9)
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.II (A10)
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.III (A13)
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.IV (A13 Mk.II)
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.V, Covenanter (A13 Mk.III) [Did not see service]
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VI, Crusader (A15)
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VII, Cavalier (A24) - Regular tank not used in combat, OP and ARV tank used.
- Tank, Cruiser Mk.VIII, Centaur (A27L)
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VIII, Cromwell (A27M)
- Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VIII, Challenger (A30) - 17-pdr gun
- Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34)
- Tank, Cruiser, Centurion I (A41) - Entered service too late to see combat service.
Infantry tanks
- Tank, Infantry, Mk.I, Matilda I
- Tank, Infantry, Mk.II, Matilda II
- Tank, Infantry, Mk.III Valentine
- Tank, Infantry, Mk.IV, Churchill
- Tank, Infantry, Valiant - prototype only.
- Infantry Tank Black Prince - prototype only.
Other tanks
- "Tank, Heavy Assault, A33 (Excelsior)" - prototype only
- Tortoise heavy assault tank - prototype only
- Tank, Heavy TOG 1 - prototype only
- Tank, Heavy TOG 2 - prototype only
Self-propelled guns
- Self Propelled 17-pdr, Valentine, Mk.I, Archer
- 3in SP. Wolverine - Gun Motor Carriage M10, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
- 17-pdr SP. Achilles - M10 rearmed with 17-pdr gun
- AEC Mk I Gun Carrier "Deacon"
- Carrier, Valentine, 25-pdr gun, Mk.I, Bishop
- 25-pdr SP, tracked, Sexton
- SP 17-pdr, A30 (Avenger) - Order not fulfilled until post-war.
- 105 mm SP, Priest - 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
- M3(T12) 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage - Provided under Lend-Lease from America. In British service designated "75 mm SP, Autocar".
- T48 57 mm Gun Motor Carriage - 680 provided by Lend-Lease from America. Many had gun removed to convert them back to Armoured Personnel Carriers.
- Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M14 - Provided by Lend-Lease from America. Many had guns removed to convert them back to armoured personnel carriers.
Other armoured fighting vehicles
- Universal Carrier
- Loyd Carrier
- Half-track Car M2 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
- Half-track Car M3 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
- Half-track Personnel Carrier M3 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
- Half-track Personnel Carrier M5 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
- 4-ton amphibian, Terrapin - amphibious personnel carrier
Utility vehicles
- Willys Jeep
- "Tilly" - utility versions of civilian cars.
Aerial bombs
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- Fire balloons
- "Bouncing bombs"
- Upkeep
- Highball
Gas bombs Smoke bombs
- 4,000 lb HC (High Capacity)
- 8,000 lb HC
- 12,000 lb HC.
See also
- List of British military equipment of World War II
- World War II armoured fighting vehicles of the United Kingdom
- World War II military equipment of the United Kingdom topics
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