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Post by malone36 on Jun 19, 2010 11:07:42 GMT -5
I've recently bought a 1945 Enfield Jungle Carbine and a Webley revolver, and now this has spurred a interest in putting together a British or Australian Pacific impression. Any links or info would be greatly appreciated
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Jun 22, 2010 17:16:34 GMT -5
Right the bad news first.
The 'Jungle carbine' (thats a nickname btw its real its officiial designation was a no5 - the British Army never officially called it a jungle carbine) was not in service until hostilities had almost ended.
Their production finished in september/october 1944 but didnt even make it to the far east til some time into 1945.
If you consider that the No4 rifle was rare in the far east until late in the war the no5 even more so.
To be honest you see far more US m1 carbines in the PTO with british troops than you do no5s (i've just scoured three books for you and I cant find a *single* picture of them in use other than with post war occupation troops)
Awesome for the malayan emergency but pretty useless for WWII i'm afraid unless you want to do the parachute regiment doing 'post bomb' occupation duties in 1945 who had a lot of them.
The Webley on the other hand is really bloody useful.
Issue personal weapon to nearly all officers and occasionally issued to drivers and bren gunnners if there were enough about.
Probably not what you wanted to hear unless you're really into very very late war impressions.
The problem with issue dates on things is that in the British Army it usually takes at least a year for things to get through the supply chain and into the hands of soldiers.
For example the issue rain cape was tan in wwii and green post war.. while you'll find some examples dated 1944 they were almost *never* used in WWII as there were still vast supplies of tan ones to issue first.
A 'germany first' policy meant the far east got the short end of the stick as far as supplies went (to the point that wherever possible kit was made in India or South Africa to save shipping it from the UK)
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Post by gunner on Jun 23, 2010 16:39:07 GMT -5
Hey Gadge, didn't the UK forces in CBI use a lot of U.S. gear along with the India/SA produced gear because of the supply issue problem? Thought I read that somewhere, maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time!! LOL I've been thinking of doing a Merrills Marauders impression.
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Jun 24, 2010 5:27:03 GMT -5
A very small ammount.
Some rare pics of the late war jungle boots being used AFAIK.
The 14th Army was very well equipped tbh, and chindit forces were so far away from anyone else if they used anyone elses kit it tended to be Japanese.
Some commando's in the Far East had US garands that they has retained from the mid war days.
I could be wrong there but I cant recall much US kit being used other than by very 'special forces' units like force 136 and the other SF units.
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Post by Fusilier on Jun 24, 2010 11:53:44 GMT -5
I had said No. 5 years ago. Neat little weapon,but I hear they kick harder than a mule!
I sold it..:-(
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Jun 24, 2010 17:55:38 GMT -5
It never really took on with the British Army tbh. It was handier than the old SMLE or No4 in the jungle but it had zeroing issues and a much shorter accurate range than its predecessors and wasnt really much cop for the big face off we were expecting in Europe throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s.
One we'd adopted the stirling and the slr it didnt really have a role anymore. The no4 was kept on as it was so accurate we used it as our sniper rifle (slightly modded) up to the end of the 1980s.
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Post by malone36 on Jun 24, 2010 20:52:49 GMT -5
I too have heard that Fusilier, just havent had the chance to go shoot it yet.... Thank you so much Gadge for the info, shame though cause I was looking forward to piecing that impression together so I guess I'll do my other impressions first and then piece together the parachute regiment impression. Could you by chance give me some links for British militaria sites?
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Post by Fusilier on Jun 24, 2010 23:52:41 GMT -5
I'd love to get one again,but they've become more pricey,WHEN you see them at shows..
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Jun 25, 2010 10:33:05 GMT -5
I too have heard that Fusilier, just havent had the chance to go shoot it yet.... Thank you so much Gadge for the info, shame though cause I was looking forward to piecing that impression together so I guess I'll do my other impressions first and then piece together the parachute regiment impression. Could you by chance give me some links for British militaria sites? Sure Original JGS are rarer than panda sperm.. if you want war pattern JGS the only person who makes them is Replicators in India. Their JGs are brilliant but you hear horror stories of dealing with them, i got all my tropical kit of them no problem. For late war paras doing occupation duties then What Price Glory do the 1944 pattern jungle uniform. Thats your best bet. For the webbing i'd try emailing or calling sabre sales in the UK, they do ridiculously cheap sets of webbing (i got a full set of 58 with ressie bag for £10 and in the past have got complete sets of 37 pattern for less that £20) so even with shipping they will probably work out quite cheap. WPG as well for a good WWII pattern beret. 44 pattern jungle boots will be tricky but you can get away with the late war us jungle boot.
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Post by malone36 on Jun 25, 2010 22:39:15 GMT -5
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gadge
Corporal
Posts: 1,199
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Post by gadge on Jun 26, 2010 4:36:54 GMT -5
In a word no...
SOF can be great but they are *very* expensive. If you're in the USA then Jerry at What Price Glory stocks the same lines as SOF but without their markup.
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Post by malone36 on Jun 26, 2010 10:56:11 GMT -5
Alright, thank you again!
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Post by Fusilier on Jun 26, 2010 14:41:18 GMT -5
In a word no... SOF can be great but they are *very* expensive. If you're in the USA then Jerry at What Price Glory stocks the same lines as SOF but without their markup. >> I got German tropical low boots from them.Kinda pricey,and slightly big on me,but IDK who else makes them.
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