Was the Ross Rifle bayonet issued with the Thompson SMG during WW2???

[browningautorifle]

As an slight aside, without the Service of the Army Reserves Units in these present times.
The Regular Army Could not function as 'effectively' as it does!

Same with us. They have the majority of the overseas work now. The battalions are only so big after all.

[Peter Laidler]

It certainly became apparent during Bosnia. The REME reservists, especially the heavy vehicle VM's were the salt of the earth. I found that the reservists were extremely versatile too

[Aragorn243]

Active US Army has almost zero maintenance capability, contracted to civilians in peacetime. Almost all support units are reserves.

[Flying10uk]

Perhaps if Frederick Stephens reads this thread he will decide to join the Milserps forum and tell us all where he got his information from concerning the Ross bayonet and the Thompson SMG. This isn't beyond the realms of possibility because I'm reliably informed that he's still alive.

[browningautorifle]

Perhaps if Frederick Stephens reads this thread he will decide to join the Milserps forum

Probably not...

[Peter Laidler]

Even if he does join there'll be a few here telling him that he's wrong.

[old-smithy]

My old boss told me he was issued a Thompson in 9mm (he was SAS in WWII and married to the founders sister) I have been told emphatically that they were never made, despite Churchill having one. The only bayonets I have seen with the Tompson are Krags but wh knows what a local depot might do, especially for the SAS, the tales of the rigs he and his guys made up that were never official were amazing. I learned a long time ago it is always possible to prove something exoisted but bloody difficult to prove it doesn't. all you can say was if something was official and documented, what the troops made for themselves is another matter.

[browningautorifle]

a Thompson in 9mm

That however is something else...the mags were UD 42 mags and the boltface was bushed with a ring brazed in to fit the cartridge head. The ejector was stretched and the barrel is simple...just make one. Yes, they were trialled extensively. Just not required because the Sten was on line and a great deal cheaper to produce.

[Flying10uk]

Even if he does join there'll be a few here telling him that he's wrong.

If Federick J. Stephens is good enough to approach this Forum, I will ask him politely and in a civilised manner what evidence/or other reasons he had to state that the SAS used Ross bayonets in conjunction with the Thompson SMG. Alternatively if Federick wishes to contact me privately, I will be more than happy to communicate with him that way.

I think that everyone is agreed that Ross bayonets were not used officially with the Thompson. If Federick and or others have information that a limited number of Ross bayonets may have been used in conjunction with the Thompson SMG, I would be very interested to hear about it. Like I have said, several times, I don't know if they were or they were not.

One of my old Bosses taught me that not everything in life is black and white. In between black and white is grey and I suspect that this thread falls into this category.

[Aragorn243]

That horse isn't getting up. If it wasn't official, it's a bubba job.