Dispatch Riders Sidearm

[gary0003]

I believe ww2 dispatch riders would probably have worn either a Webley or Smith & Wesson revolver. Would these have been 6" barrels please?

Thanks.

[No Signals]

Yes, 6".

[ferretfixer]

Or an Enfield No:2.MK.I. Or MK.I* in .380". 

[Surveyor]

1 hour ago, ferretfixer said:

Or an Enfield No:2.MK.I. Or MK.I* in .380". 

How would he carry that, slung across his back?

[ferretfixer]

31 minutes ago, Surveyor said:

How would he carry that, slung across his back?

He wouldnt. He would carry it in a holster. The same as a 'Webley, or Smith & Wesson'!.....( Enfield No:2 & 2,MK.I * is a REVOLVER. NOT A Rifle!...)

Carried in a webbing waist belt, with canvas holster.

IF He carried a Stengun. It would be a MK.III. This had a modification done on the top rib. To enable it to be carried slung Across his CHEST.....

Edited March 12, 2020 by ferretfixer

[11th Armoured]

29 minutes ago, Surveyor said:

How would he carry that, slung across his back?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfield_No._2

[ferretfixer]

9 minutes ago, 11th Armoured said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfield_No._2

That Wiki content is not quite correct!

It states that the No.2.MKI* was the FIRST to be produced. This is INCORRECT!

The No.2.MK.I was the First. It was Double action & HAD a spur hammer. The No.2.MK.I*  was a modification to the afore mentioned. & had the Hammer spur removed. Later production was manufactured Spur less then onwards. It was double action only.

The later No.2.MK.I** had the internal Hammer rebound stop removed from assembly. & as they then correctly quoted. This did indeed produce safety 'concerns'!... A blow against the Hammer accidently, WOULD allow the revolver to fire itself! Imagine if you knocked the Hammer inadvertently against a hard object in an Armoured vehicle! Or came off a Motorcycle in a Tumble & hit the Hammer on a hard object / surface!.....

Edited March 12, 2020 by ferretfixer

[Surveyor]

Sorry when saw Enfield was thinking of the rifle, at least I am learning

[Ron]

Ron☺️

 

[Chris Hall]

I don’t think that chap is getting much job satisfaction. Looks like he’s just done a 100 mile round trip for nothing.

[Matador_Doris]

[wdbikemad]

Dispatch riders were generally issued with a revolver....however, before D-day at least these had largely been withdrawn to be replaced with Sten guns........

[79x100]

As early as 1940, CMP motorcyclists were authorised to use the 'Cases, Pistol, Web, R.T.C.' instead of the standard 'Case, Pistol'...the practice seems to have continued throughout the war. This wouldn't apply to any other corps or unit though.

[Surveyor]

1 hour ago, 79x100 said:

As early as 1940, CMP motorcyclists were authorised to use the 'Cases, Pistol, Web, R.T.C.' instead of the standard 'Case, Pistol'...the practice seems to have continued throughout the war. This wouldn't apply to any other corps or unit though.

 

Do you have pictures of the difference between them

[Chris Hall]

This article explains

 

http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1937/1937_pistol_equipment.html

[Surveyor]

Thanks a good site to bookmark

[jenkinov]

Whilst a pistol was common ,there are plenty of pictures of despatch riders with all sorts of weaponry ..my personal favourite being the Thompson sub machine gun .whether this arose as a result of soldiers being nominated as despatch riders and simply carrying their usual weapons is unclear ..but the photos exist as historical evidence .

Jenkinov

 

[Ron]

You don't mean this one Jenk?  I don't know how on Earth this would work?  Ron😆

[jenkinov]

I believe that was an early war trial to fire on the move.....doubt it hit anything though ..I was thinking of this example 

Jenkinov

[Chris Hall]

A lot may also depend on location. There weren’t actually many Thompsons in use, so later in the war they were issued to areas where the US would also be operating. This gave a common calibre of ammunition to ease the supply chain. 

[jenkinov]

I believe the above photo is in Italy .The photo is dated as 4th August 1943 and indicates 2HQ lots of great features on the photo ...I believe that's the army c number on the front mudguard .The 57th division marking is also rare as this was a British deception formation ....

In Africa and Italy NCOs could carry a Thompson or Sten but I am aware my that my uncle elected to carry a rifle as snipers would pick off those with these weapons first .Thompson's however were highly prized and I suspect this despatch rider did not want to trade it in for a pistol..

 

Jenkinov

 

 

 

 

[79x100]

The photograph above shows 'Hank' McDowell of 48th Highlanders of Canada. He was killed in action in December 1944.  The arm of service serial '57' bears no relation to the actual unit name. It probably represents the junior battalion in the senior brigade of an infantry division at the time it was taken.

A pistol case and standard service revolver would be correct for a motorcyclist during most of the war which is of course not to say that none ever carried something different.

[jenkinov]

Thanks that's an incredible amount of detail . So sad he did not make it .we owe so much to his generation .

He appears to have been an NCO .which explains his access to the Thompson

Jenkinov

[jenkinov]

Another interesting photo of Despatch riders with rifles ...but feel is that this is early war ..based on the gas masks 

Jenkinov