Did British Army Use Garand?

Captain Hugh Ward (FOO) C.O., C Troop, 211th Airlanding Light Battery, 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, RA; with an unknown Lieutenant-Colonel Commando with a Garand on D+2 in Normandy, Le Plein(?).

 

The Commando Officer is Lt-Col. Derek Mills-Roberts, No. 6 Commando. After Lord Lovat was wounded on June 12th during the Battle of Breville he was made Commander 1st Special Service Brigade. The scene was shot at the Bernard Saulnier Farm in Amfreville.



Regards ...

 

Lord Lovat with his Winchester 70 hunting rifle in .30-06 (US .30)

 

The Canadians assigned to the First Special Service Force (aka The Devil's Brigade) were issued M-1 Garands as well as other US issued inventory. No I don't have any pix as evidence, but I saw them carrying Garands in the movie. I'm sure that Canadians (along with Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans and such) probably don't consider themselves to be British. But in keeping with the theme of the thread, we'll go with it (historically speaking of course).

 

Captain Ward died in the attack on Breville-les-Monts on 12 June and is buried in the churchyard.

 

I covered the Garand in British service in another thread. See Non-standard, substitute standard, and captured weapons in British and Commonwealth service

 

The US Lend Lease summary shows supplies to Britain of:
38,001 Rifles M1
64,003 Rifles M1903 (inc.A1&A2)
64 Sniper Rifle M1903 sets,
253,100 (possibly + 119,000) Rifles M1917
25,362 Carbine M1&M2

This won't include 'in theater' loans or transfer from US stock.

 

There was an additional 30,000 Garands purchased by the UK prior to Lend Lease.
These were split between the Air Ministry and Combined Opp's.

Regards

AlanD
Sydney