20mm Anti-Tank Guns

Whilst reading Proud Heritage, I was struck by the reference that 1 HLI in 157 Brigade, 42 Div, used 20mm anti-tank guns near Dunkirk. Already it was noted they had Boys Anti-tank Rifles, and 25mm Anti-Tank Guns...

So I'm curious really, were these Oerlikons pressed into ground fire (or similar), some other weapon, or a bizarre confused reference to the 25mm guns.

 

We did have some Oerlikon 20mm anti-tank guns (aka 1 pounders) on tracked carriages before the war, probably on no more than a trial basis. There are photos of them being towed behind Carden-Loyds to give you an idea of vintage. Not sure if the French had any we might have borrowed.

 

Ah yes, I had utterly forgotten about those. I think a Battalion/Brigade War Diary search may be in order.

Still surprised mind as I'd think those somewhat old hat by 1940 - not least surely a pain to transport?

 

I suppose the puttees in the picture will date it, but they look pretty vulnerable in that carrier and trailer to me. I suppose everyone assumed that German tanks were all cardboard or at best armoured lawnmowers? Did they not make armour piercing ammunition for later Oerlikon and Polsten 20mm guns as well?

I went to the small arms collection at Warminster recently and hefted a Boys A/T rifle - nearly 40lb loaded. The gentleman there showed me a picture of a South African soldier running with one in the western desert somewhere; "he wouldn't be running for long", quipped my host. Apparently the Finns had a 20mm A/T rifle! The Lahti? and it weighed over 50Kg!

 

Rather intriguingly... I had a chat with a gent at the weekend and this came up in conversation, there are accounts of 20mm LAA guns being pressed into the AT role in North Africa in 1941, and he recalled a memoir describing such an incident.

More work needed.

As for date of that image... I believe it harks back to the EMF but I cannot be certain from memory.

 

Breda cannon?