Piats

Military Medal award Greece 1944 - Rifleman Harry Fink D Coy 11 KRRC

"On the night of 31st Dec 1944, a determined attack was made on the Pallini Wireless Station by 50 ELAS supported by a captured ex RAF Armoured Car No.91526. With complete disregard of his own safety, Rifleman Fink, approached the Armoured Car and engaged it with a PIAT at close range. The first round missfired, but the second round his the Armoured Car and blew up as it was found to have been laden with a vast quantity of dynamite. His bravery undoubtedly saved many men guarding the radio station."

WO Recommendation is missing from TNA discovery. Primary Sources: 50 RTR WD (WO 170/864) "Swift and Bold. The Kings Royal Rifle Corps Second World War 1939 - 1945" by Gen Hareward Wake and "A Stretcher Bearer from El Alamein to Greece" by Bob Hopper

 

Wait... Is that a Rolls Royce he managed to wallop?

 

I believe it was an Otter

Gus

 

Not sure if its been mentioned or i have mentioned before, there is a video of a Canadian guy on the BOCN forum and i think its on youtube as well who has a licence or is allowed by law to shoot one, he made some dummy rounds up and projector cartridges, not sure if the cartridges were surplus from a old stock box, but it was quite impressive to see being fired. I was more interested where the ejected other half of the cartridge went as during my local heritage research i am interested to see the firing position and work out the target area of where these weapons were used usually about a foot in front of the firer. I also find that the PIAT is such a lump in weight you need a jeep to lug it around, you would have thought there would be an easier way to propel a anti tank round.

 

I read the posts here and thought ; knowing the PIAT's weight is a hardy perennial I'd compare it to the much lauded Anglo-Swedish NLAW used now in the Ukraine, assembled in Belfast by Thales.

Wiki shows the PIAT weighed plus other aspects:

From: PIAT - Wikipedia

Wiki shows the NLAW weighed:

From: NLAW - Wikipedia

 

I have a feeling that fellow had to disassemble/disable his PIAT, sadly.

 

I wonder how the PIAT compared in weight with the 84mm Carl Gustav, which always seemed an awful lump to cart around (and loud too!).
Chris

 

Here to help Chris. It does depend on whether you carried the M2 version or the post-1986 M3 / M4.

Weight: (M2) 14.2 kg (31 lb) or (M4/M3E1) 6.6 Kg (14.5 lb)
Length: M2) 1,130 mm (44 in) or (M4/M3E1) 950 mm (37 in)

From: Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle - Wikipedia

 

Not sure what the laws are in Canada about PIATs, i assume they are banned.

 

I've just (enjoyed) reading through this entire thread and am surprised that no-one has yet mentioned the passage in George MacDonald Fraser's "Quartered Safe Out Here" where he describes using a PIAT against boats on the Sittang River, presumably in late-July 1945. Supports the several posts that have been made here about how horrible a device it was . . .

 

Definitely the earlier, heavier version. Though I didn't carry it often, I did feel sorry for the guy who did!
Chris

 

I believe the gentleman was an American. He's gone on to work on a Fliegerfaust.

This causes me no small amount of grumpiness.

May I direct sir here (von Poop having a look at a work on the Spigots):
Book Review - Defeating the panzer Stuka Menace. David Lister.

Or here:


This is precisely why I spent a decade on Blacker and his spigots.

 

Piat team: Troops of the 2nd Bn. Gordon Highlanders cross an improvised bridge north of Celle. The original bridge had been blown.

IWM BU 3547

 

At the risk of stating the obvious, the first man is carrying the launcher, and the next two are each carrying three rounds of ammunition.