Tommy gun in the ETO

[florprien]

Helo friends: i´m an argentine collector of ww2 canadian equipment, I alrady have a bren, sten, lee enfiend nº4mk1*, now i´m finding a thompson. I wanted a M1A1, but i can´t find one of this. Can somebody let my know if the canadians soldiers used the 1928m1 after the normandy landing?
Thankyou very much. best regards
My best wishes to the geof friend´s and family in this difficult time

[Ed Storey]

No, for the Canadian Army, Thompsons in Italy, Stens in NW Europe.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Take Ed's word as the truth. He is a recognized expert in Canadian militaria, and published author on 1937 Pattern Webbing. He's also ruggedly handsome and once upon a time he was my boss. (Oh wait. Forget what I said about his good looks. He's not my boss anymore.)

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Take Ed's word as the truth. He is a recognized expert in Canadian militaria, and published author on 1937 Pattern Webbing. He's also ruggedly handsome and once upon a time he was my boss. (Oh wait. Forget what I said about his good looks. He's not my boss anymore.)

Terry..now that you added that caveat,don't forget,don't lead with your lip...Ed is still bigger than you...
Mwhahahahaha!!
I think we have a guest coming up from the south in January ,and look forward to catching up on all your Christmas presents at Gracies..Some time in January as far as I know..
Alex

[gary_bath_jr]

Not to be a doubting thomas here but if you read "Tip of the Spear" by Lieutenant-Colonel Bernd Horn and Michel Wyczynski you will see on page 110 the First Canadian Parachute Battalion Training with a Thompson, then on page 176 a picture of glider pilots being evacuated by 1 can Para in and the man on the left is holding a Thompson. As a side note you will find some Universal Carriers on page 192 and 210.

Gary

[Gerry McGinty]

Gary, it has to be said that in the same book, on page 144, there is a list of weapons used by the 'paras' and while including the different marks of Sten, it does not mention Thompsons.

I would suggest that hard and fast rules regarding Thompsons in Italy and Stens in NW Europe should be treated with caution as firstly, the Commandos usually used Thompsons rather than Stens and secondly there are references (eg. "One Night in June" by Kevin Shannon & Stephen Wright - page 35) that point to the Glider Pilot Regiment being given a very wide choice of what weapon they would prefer to use - in fact the pilot in question chose a Bren as his personal weapon!!!

Hope this helps

Gerry

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by florprien

Helo friends: i´m an argentine collector of ww2 canadian equipment, I alrady have a bren, sten, lee enfiend nº4mk1*, now i´m finding a thompson. I wanted a M1A1, but i can´t find one of this. Can somebody let my know if the canadians soldiers used the 1928m1 after the normandy landing?
Thankyou very much. best regards
My best wishes to the geof friend´s and family in this difficult time

There is an excellent, and timely! article titled 'The "Tommy's" Thompson' written by Martin Pegler in the March 2011 issue of the American Rifleman. It only deals with the Thompson in British use but it unequivocably states that Thompsons were only issued to:
Initially, Home Guard Special Units, then Commando Units (5 in total), and finally regular Home Guard units. The Brits ordered 514,000 Thompsons of all types but by April 1942 only 100,000 had arrived which led to the Sten SMG being rushed into production.

"Sten guns became a priority for issue to all European Theatre of Operations (ETO) Commonwealth Troops with the exception of the Commando brigades who were mostly supplied with Thompsons--and wanted to keep them" Martin Pegler

CHEEMO! Derek.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by sapper740

There is an excellent, and timely! article titled 'The "Tommy's" Thompson' written by Martin Pegler in the March 2011 issue of the American Rifleman. It only deals with the Thompson in British use but it unequivocably states that Thompsons were only issued to:
Initially, Home Guard Special Units, then Commando Units (5 in total), and finally regular Home Guard units. The Brits ordered 514,000 Thompsons of all types but by April 1942 only 100,000 had arrived which led to the Sten SMG being rushed into production.

"Sten guns became a priority for issue to all European Theatre of Operations (ETO) Commonwealth Troops with the exception of the Commando brigades who were mostly supplied with Thompsons--and wanted to keep them" Martin Pegler

CHEEMO! Derek.

WE had them in Italy..


I talked to Smokey Smith a few years ago at the war memorial on 11 November,in Ottawa, and asked him if he preferred the Tommy gun over the Sten..He said..If it wasn't for the Tommy gun..you and I wouldn't be talking today..
..I loved it.."
Here is his story..

Ernest(Smokey) Smith VC
Birthdate: 3 May 1914
Website: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm
Category: Military

Ernest Alvia 'Smokey' Smith, VC, CD, was born in New Westminster, B.C. in 1914 and educated in elementary and technical schools there. He left his work with a contracting firm to enlist in the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in March 1940, joining the regiment overseas a few months later. He was a private when he won the Victoria Cross at the Savio River in Italy on Oct. 21-22, 1944.

The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada were the spearhead of the attack across the river, which torrential rain had caused to rise six feet in five hours, making it impossible to get tanks and anti-tank guns across to support the rifle companies.

The right forward company was suddenly counter-attacked by three Panzer tanks, supported by self-propelled guns and some 30 infantry. Private Smith led his PIAT (projector, infantry, anti-tank) group of two men across an open field and left one man on the weapon. Crossing the road, Private Smith obtained another PIAT. An enemy tank attacked and wounded the man on the first PIAT. Smith fired his own and put the tank out of action. German infantry jumped from the tank and attacked him but Smith drove them back with his tommy gun. Obtaining more tommy magazines which had been abandoned in a ditch, Private Smith steadfastly held his position, and later gave aid to his wounded comrade.

"No further immediate attack developed and as a result, the battalion was able to consolidate the bridgehead position so vital to the success of the whole operation, which led to the eventual capture of San Giorgio Di Cesena and a further advance to the Ronco River," reads the citation in part.

'Smokey' Smith left the army for a short time after the war, but rejoined and served until August 1964, when he was released with the rank of sergeant. On August 3, 2005, Smokey Smith passed away in Vancouver as Canada's last surviving recipient of the Victoria Cross; Canada's highest award for valour.

In 1996, Smokey Smith was named a Member the Order of Canada.

In 2002 he received the Order of British Columbia.

His honours, decorations and medals include: The Victoria Cross, the Order of Canada, the Order of British Columbia, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, Defense Medal, Canadian Voluntary Service Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal, Canada Centennial Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, Canada 125 Medal, Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Canadian Forces Service.

[horsa]

Shot attached is a soldier with Number 4 Commando armed with a Model 1928 Thompson as he and his unit were moving inland from Sword Beach on their way to Ranville on June 6, 1944. Their unit also carried Sten guns at this time. Some Commandos also still had Thompsons at the time of the Rhine Crossing in March 1945.