WWII special assault rifles built for the SAS only

[mudgee]

I am looking for information on different variants of assault weapons built in WWII for the SAS only. I appreciate any help on the subject thank you.

Information

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[Maxwell Smart]

All right, I'll stick my neck out.... what special weapons for the SAS? Vietnam yes, but WW2 not so sure.

[ActionYobbo]

All right, I'll stick my neck out.... what special weapons for the SAS? Vietnam yes, but WW2 not so sure.

SAS was not in vietnam 64-74 perhaps you are referring to the SASR.

now for SAS WW2 you have the DeLisle carbine, silenced sten and welrod

[Daan Kemp]

Assault weapons? SAS WWII?

Demolition packs, Bangalore torpedo, fuses, timers, etc. Bren, Vickers K, captured MG, etc.

Is this what you have in mind? Your request is a bit vague.

[mudgee]

Assault weapons? SAS WWII?

Demolition packs, Bangalore torpedo, fuses, timers, etc. Bren, Vickers K, captured MG, etc.

Is this what you have in mind? Your request is a bit vague.

I guess i am referring more a SAS team using a No4 MK1 / SMLE bolt action rifles did they use them as issued or say have them modified to suite the conditions they had to operate in? for example would they have hauled a No4 T in the box with all the gear or they were allowed to modify them to keep things light? i know that on the jeeps in Africa they mounted machine guns differently to anyone else for more fire power for example but i am after information on the hand held rifles??

Did the SAS carry out any parachute raids and would they have used the standard issue small arms or modified?

Everyone thanks so far for your comments great information, is there somewhere we can look at photos

[Lee Enfield]

apart from the obvious lack of a true "assault rifle" on the Allied side;

I don't think anything was built "just" for the SAS.

My understanding of the WW2 "special forces" the SAS were really "just" another "commando" unit. They really didn't become "the" special forces "unit" until the 50's.

The Welgun was apparently a favorite of SBS and (other?) waterborne commandos.

[Seaforth72]

There were no “assault rifles” then as stated and of course many firearms enthusiasts argue that there is still no such thing, it being an anti-firearm media invented term.

The SAS did not have unique “special to them” firearms. They did have a locally made type of bomb (Lewes Bomb?) designed by one of their members in North Africa for destroying German and Italian aircraft parked on airfields. They made them up locally. A mix of explosive and incendiary material as so recall.

The Welgun was an experimental British sub-machine gun and was not used operationally as far as I know. I have handled the one in the Canadian War Museum’s firearms vault.

The Welrod was a silenced handgun that was made available to SOE and other special units. CWM has one of those on its vault as well.

[CINDERS]

Those jeeps used by Stilings LRDP SAS chaps looked pretty purpose built see pic also note the Sykes Fairbairn knife much favoured by the SAS on the Rt hip of the Lieutenant closest to camera, another a pic of Stirling with the jeeps.
I would classify those jeeps as an assault weapon purpose built for the task.

[mudgee]

Those jeeps used by Stilings LRDP SAS chaps looked pretty purpose built see pic also note the Sykes Fairbairn knife much favoured by the SAS on the Rt hip of the Lieutenant closest to camera, another a pic of Stirling with the jeeps.
I would classify those jeeps as an assault weapon purpose built for the task.

I would agree about those jeeps and the Sykes knife. that is my point about asking the milsurp community about small arms if any that where modified and used by the SAS.

[GeeRam]

Those jeeps used by Stilings LRDP SAS chaps looked pretty purpose built see pic also note the Sykes Fairbairn knife much favoured by the SAS on the Rt hip of the Lieutenant closest to camera, another a pic of Stirling with the jeeps.
I would classify those jeeps as an assault weapon purpose built for the task.

Not purpose built, as they were all modified 'in-theatre' by the SAS to suit what they needed to do, as did the LRDG, and later, some of the Divisional Recce units, notably the 1st Airborne Recce at Arnhem.

SAS/LRDG in North Africa made use of a lot of captured German and Italian kit/weapons if it suited their purpose, but then again so did other units. Scrounging kit of anyone that had something you wanted, was a prime skill of most WW2 soldiers, as the logistics of supply of kit to the front line was anything but good (unless you were US forces).


e.g.



Most kit used by the WW2 SAS as said, was as issued to the Commando's (they were formed first) and later the Airborne troops, including the FS fighting knife, silenced STEN and other toys.