Thompson SMG

[Ed Storey]

While the Small Arms Training wartime series of manuals are good primary reference sources on how to hold, load, aim, fire and clean the small arms being employed by British forces, they really do not delve too deeply into the minutia of the weapons. I have a pretty good collection of SATs and have checked through the later editions for the Thompson and Machine Carbine manuals and did not see any reference to 30-round magazines.

Another source that would record a change in Thompson magazines would be the RCEME publications or even the Quartermaster entries in the wartime Divisional and Corps files.

I am still looking to see if I can locate a wartime photograph of a Canadian using a 30-round Thompson magazine.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

These could be:

a128986-v6.jpg 19930012-061.jpg

These are troops of the 1st Special Service Force, a joint US-Canadian unit. But proving that the men holding Thompsons with 30-round magazines are Canadians may be difficult.

[Ed Storey]

The 1SSF were given, but finding a Canadian using a 30-round Thompson magazine in I Canadian Corps is the challenge.

[r.morrison]

Hi Jakko/Ed: Looking closely at the photos, you can see 30 round magazines but this is MY observance and I stand to be corrected: The large group photo shows about 4 soldiers carrying Thompsons. 2 soldiers in the upper centre left definitely have 2 units with 30 round mags. Centre right beside the Browing 1919 is definitley a 30 round mag.
In the other photo, one soldier rests his arm on an ammo belt/pouches which look to be 30 round mags.
Thats may 2 cents on these photos. Thanks for the posting.
Robert

[Ed Storey]

Yes you are correct as there are indeed 3-round Thompson magazines in the two photographs and there is no disputing that 1SSF, a composite American special forces unit containing Canadians used 30-round magazines. But to answer your initial question did Commonwealth nations use the 30-round magazine then in the case of Canada, you need to find evidence, either a photograph or wartime document from Canadian sources to prove that particular magazine was used. If I were searching out the answer, then I would focus the hunt on I Canadian Corps as they fought in Italy where the Thompson was used.

[r.morrison]

Thanks Ed: I'll get in touch with a couple of regiments that I have close contact with and see if I can dig up some info. If I find any photos, I'll be sure to post them.
Many thanks to all again for your contributions....
Robert

[derk derin]

Update on the Thompson SAT information. David mentioned to me he has a 1944 manual that covers the Thompson and Sten. I too have that manual displayed in my collection and interesting enough it only mentions the 20 round magazine. It doesn’t mention the 30 round magazine and no longer mentioned the 50 round drum magazine.