List of World War II weapons of the United Kingdom

This is a list of various weapons and vehicles used in World War II by the United Kingdom.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Small Arms

Rifles

• De Lisle Carbine - Specialist issue,129 made
• Enfield Pattern 14 (P14) - Used as a marksman weapon until the No.IV Mk.I(T) was introduced, also issued in large number to the LDV.
• M1917 Enfield - Issued to LDV.
• Martini-Enfield - Used as a reserve arm by Commonwealth troops from India, New Zealand, etc.
• Lee Enfield No.1 Mk.III* - Lee Enfield rifle in service at the beginning of the war, supplemented and replaced by the No.4 Mk.I by mid-war.
• Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.1 + No.4 Mk.I(T) - Lee Enfield rifle that replaced the No.I Mk.III* in larger numbers mid-war.
• Lee Enfield No.5 Mk.I Jungle Carbine - Introduced in 1944 to replace the longer No.1 Mk.III*,

Submachine guns

• Lanchester - British submachine gun, developed from the German MP28, used by the Royal Navy & Royal Air Force.
• Sten - simple design low cost British submachine gun in service from late 1941 to the end of the war.
• Thompson - American submachine gun used in large numbers until the Sten gun was introduced.
• Sterling/Patchett Machine Carbine Mark 1- British submachine gun first produced in 1944 and trialled and used in small numbers during war.

Machine guns

• Bren light machine gun - Light machine gun for infantry use introduced in 1930s and used throughout the whole of the war.
• Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) - Issued to Home Guard
• Lewis Gun - In service with some infantry at outbreak of war in small numbers, issued to British Home Guard for the rest of the war.
• Vickers "K" machine gun also known as VGO - Fast firing aircraft machine gun, used in specialist roles on Long Range Desert Group and Special Air Service vehicles in North Africa, as well as a short-lived infantry machine gun with the Commandos.
• Vickers machine gun - Standard medium machine gun of the British Army since 1912.
• Browning M1919 - Mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.
• Browning M2 - heavy machine gun, mounted on many lend-lease vehicles.
• Besa machine gun - in 7.92 mm BESA and 15 mm BESA forms used as armament on British-built tanks and armoured cars only.
• Vickers-Berthier - Light machine gun adopted by Indian Army pre-war and used Indian Commonwealth troops.

Handguns

• Enfield No.2 Mk.1 Revolver
• Webley Revolver - many marks in .38 and .455 calibres
• Browning FN-Inglis "Pistol No.II Mk.I*"
• Colt M1911A1
• Webley No.I Mk.I - (Automatic pistol in .455 inch). Issued to the Royal Navy
• Welrod - silenced pistol
• Smith & Wesson Model 10
• Colt New Service
• Colt Official Police

Grenades

• Grenade, Hand or Rifle, No.36M Mk.I "Mills Bomb"
• "Grenade, Rifle No.68 /AT" HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) Rifle Grenade
• No.69 Mk.I Bakelite Concussion Hand Grenade
• No.76, Special Incendiary Phosphorus Hand Grenade
• No.73 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade "Thermos Grenade"
• Grenade, Hand, No.74 ST "Sticky Bomb"
• No.75 Anti-Tank Hand Grenade "Hawkins Grenade"/"Hawkins Mine"
• No.77 White Phosphorus Hand Grenade
• Grenade, Hand, No. 82 "Gammon Bomb"

Other

• No.II Mk.II Flamethrower "Lifebuoy"
• Lewes bomb - Used by the SAS
• Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife

Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons

• Blacker Bombard - spigot mortar firing Round

• Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys "Boys Anti-Tank Rifle" - Infantry anti-tank weapon (prewar - 1943).
• Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (PIAT) - Infantry anti-tank weapon (1943 until end of war)

Artillery

Anti-tank guns

• Ordnance QF 2 pounder - 40 mm weapon used at start of the war
• Ordnance QF 6 pounder - 57 mm weapon that replaced 2-pounder in artillery units
• Ordnance QF 17 pounder - 76 mm weapon introduced later in war for artillery units

Guns and howitzers

• Ordnance QF 25-pounder Gun-howitzer
• BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun
• BL 4.5-inch Medium Field Gun
• BL 7.2-inch Howitzer Mk.I
• BL 8-inch Howitzer - siege gun
• BL 60-pounder gun - 5 inch gun from First World War era, replaced by 4.5 inch gun during war
• 75 mm Pack Howitzer M1 and M8 - US supplied portable howitzer for use in mountainous areas
• QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer
• Smith Gun - smoothbore weapon for Home Guard use only

Anti-aircraft artillery

• 20 mm Oerlikon
• 20 mm Polsten - lower cost development of Oerlikon
• 40 mm Bofors
• QF 3 inch 20 cwt
• QF 3.7 inch AA gun
• QF 4.5-inch Mark 1 to Mark V

Mortars

• 2 Inch Mortar
• 3 Inch Mortar
• Blacker Bombard
• Northover projector - Home Guard use

Vehicles

see also List of World War II military vehicles by country, United Kingdom

Light tanks

• Light Tank Mk.VI
• Light Tank Mk.VII Tetrarch
• General Stuart
• Locust
• Chaffee

Medium tanks

• Tank, Medium, Mk.II - Used in small scale in the early battles in North Africa, from then; dug into ground with turret protruding for defence, in North Africa, & Great Britain.
• General Grant - Medium Tank M3, purchased from America, to British specification.
• General Lee - Medium Tank M3, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
• General Sherman - Medium Tank M4, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
  • Sherman Firefly - Sherman tank, rearmed with a British 17pdr gun.

Cruiser tanks

• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.I (A9)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.II (A10)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.III (A13)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.IV (A13 Mk.II)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.V, Covenanter (A13 Mk.III)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VI, Crusader (A15)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VII, Cavalier (A24) - Regular tank not used in combat, OP and ARV tank used.
• Tank, Cruiser Mk.VIII, Centaur (A27L)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VIII, Cromwell (A27M)
• Tank, Cruiser, Mk.VIII, Challenger (A30) - 17pdr gun
• Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34)
• Tank, Cruiser, Centurion I (A41) - Entered service too late to see combat service.

Infantry tanks

• Tank, Infantry, Mk.I, Matilda I
• Tank, Infantry, Mk.II, Matilda II
• Tank, Infantry, Mk.III Valentine
• Tank, Infantry, Mk.IV, Churchill
• Tank, Infantry, Valiant - prototype only.
• Infantry Tank Black Prince - prototype only.

Other tanks

• "Tank, Heavy Assault, A33 (Excelsior)" - prototype only
• Tortoise heavy assault tank - prototype only
• Tank, Heavy TOG 1 - prototype only
• Tank, Heavy TOG 2 - prototype only

Self-propelled guns

• Self Propelled 17pdr, Valentine, Mk.I, Archer
• 3in SP. Wolverine - Gun Motor Carriage M10, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
  • 17pdr SP. Achilles - M10 rearmed with 17 pdr gun
• AEC Mk I Gun Carrier "Deacon"
• Carrier, Valentine, 25pdr gun, Mk.I, Bishop
• 25pdr SP, tracked, Sexton
• SP 17pdr, A30 (Avenger) - Order not fulfilled until post-war.
• 105 mm SP, Priest - 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7, provided under Lend-Lease from America.
• M3(T12) 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage - Provided under Lend-Lease from America. In British service designated "75 mm SP, Autocar".
• T48 57 mm Gun Motor Carriage - 680 provided by Lend-Lease from America. Many had gun removed to convert them back to Armoured Personnel Carriers.
• Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M14 - Provided by Lend-Lease from America. Many had guns removed to convert them back to armoured personnel carriers.

Other armoured fighting vehicles

• Universal Carrier
• Loyd Carrier
• Half-track Car M2 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
• Half-track Car M3 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
• Half-track Personnel Carrier M3 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
• Half-track Personnel Carrier M5 - Provided under Lend-Lease by US.
• 4-ton amphibian, Terrapin - amphibious personnel carrier

Utility vehicles

• Willys Jeep
• "Tilly" - utility versions of civilian cars

Aerial bombs

• Fire balloons
  • Operation Outward
• "Bouncing bombs"
  • Upkeep
  • Highball

Gas bombs Smoke bombs

• Tallboy bomb
• Grand Slam bomb

• Blockbuster bombs

4,000 lb HC (High Capacity)

8,000 lb HC

12,000 lb HC

See also

• Category:World War II armoured fighting vehicles of the United Kingdom
• Category:World War II military equipment of the United Kingdom

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