Just been reading a report on the 2nd Btn at Oudna and it mentions 'anti-tank rifle crew covering the road'...... I assume this was a Boyes .5 rifle......not a problem with this as a bit early for a PIAT but has anyone anyone evidence of a paratrooper jumping wih one or do people think they must have been containerised......?????
AM, According to the records the Boyes was phased out in 1943 in favour of the PIAT as you already stated. Looking at the this site, Boyes rifles being taken from transit containers would suggest that the rifle was not designed to be broken down for transit. UK & Canadian worth a look. From this I would think that jumping with a large lump of steel would not be ideal for the paratroop. I would go with a container drop. Regards Tom
Even though my jumping techniques´ knowledge doesn´t go beyond the book stage, I dare to say that the weight of that kind of hardware would be beyond safety limits, and would dangerously affect the stability and control of the chute on its way down, limited as they already were. Now, was this specific drop related with the attack by Blade Force against Vichy airfields in Tunis, trying to secure them before Jerry did?
Warlord, I've seen mentions in my pile of stuff I've got on North Africa of Blade Force but think the 1st Parachute Brigade's involvement with them was after Oudna.....
Frost A Drop Too Many pb p75: "Our anti-tank performance left a great deal to be desiredas we depended on the Boys anti-tank rifle, which could damage only the tracks of enemy tanks, and the Gammon bomb., an untried weapon which one had to be close enough to the target to throw." Weapons were dropped in containers. There is a reference to troops and their containers being separated by wadis on the ad-hoc DZ.
Warlord, I've seen mentions in my pile of stuff I've got on North Africa of Blade Force but think the 1st Parachute Brigade's involvement with them was after Oudna..... Then, did Oudna happen during Torch itself?
Check out this link, for more info on the Oudna raid: 2nd Parachute Battalion In fact, it was an airdrome-suppresion attack, coupled with an armored drive (Blade Force style) supposed to relieve the paratroopers, which wound up being just another in the long list of snafus that have plagued wars since the beginning of time...
