Units of Minor Armies

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20. Minors Axis Fiat M35 MMG

This support weapon was frequently used by many Axis allied countries. In the late 1930s, the Italian army decided to refit its existing supply of Fiat Revelli Modello 1914 WW1 machine guns. This modified machine gun is the Fiat Revelli Modello 1935. The FIAT Revelli mod.14 used the same cartridge as the Carcano 6.5×52 mm, which undoubtedly provided logistical advantages but made a less powerful weapon. The feed-box did not use the classical feed-belt but instead used a curious “Cage” system. This cage system involved a small box (the cage) filled with 10 Carcano clips (50 rounds in total). A built-in oiling system lubricated the cartridges. However, this created problems for the weapon in certain environmental conditions such as high concentrations of dust, sand, etc. Likewise, the later experienced these same problems. In 1935, the conversion of old machine guns to the Fiat Revelli Modello 1935 began. The new design eliminated the “cage” feeding system. Fiat replaced it with a classical fee-belt, thus maintaining the ineffective oiling system. A lighter air-cooling system replaced the cumbersome water-cooling system, making the gun easier to handle. The redesigned caliber now fired the more potent 8×59 mm RB Breda rounds. Although the conversion started in 1935, it took until 1940 to complete the replacement. The colonial troops, especially those deployed in Italian East Africa, still had some old FIAT Revelli mod.14 in service when war broke out. Although the new Fiat machinegun obtained a significant modification, it proved to be a failed design with apparent deficiencies. The Fiat Revelli Modello 1935 obtained a bad reputation on the battlefield, similar to the Breda 30, but in sharp contrast with the excellent Breda 37. Production ceased in wartime.

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21. Minors Allied Vickers MMG

This support weapon was frequently used by many countries aligned with the Allies. The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The machine gun typically required a six- to eight-man team to operate: one fired, one fed the ammunition, the rest helped to carry the weapon, its ammunition, and spare parts. The Vickers machine gun was based on the successful Maxim gun of the late 19th century. After purchasing the Maxim company outright in 1896, Vickers took the design of the Maxim gun and improved it, inverting the mechanism as well as reducing its weight by lightening and simplifying the action and using high strength alloys for certain components. A muzzle booster was also added. The gun was 112 cm long and its cyclic rate of fire was between 450 and 600 rounds per minute. The Mark VIIIz cartridge, which had a boat-tailed spitzer “streamlined” bullet, could be used against targets at a range of approximately 4,115 m. The gun and its tripod were carried separately and both were heavy. The Vickers Mk I was 13.6 kg without the water and tripod, and weighed 18.1 kg with the water. The original design did not anticipate it being carried up jungle-covered mountains on men's backs, but such was the weapon's popularity that men were generally content to pack it to all manner of difficult locations. The tripod would be set up to make a firm base, often dug into the ground a little and perhaps with the feet weighted down with sandbags. The water jacket would be filled with about 4 liters of water from a small hole at the rear end, sealed by a cap.

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22. Minors Axis Breda M37 HMG

This support weapon was frequently used by many Axis allied countries. The Mitragliatrice Breda calibro 8 modello 37 was the standard machine gun for the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Breda M37 was meant as company/battalion support as compared to the more troublesome Breda M30 meant for squad/platoon support, and proved far more effective in combat. The Breda M37 was a gas-operated, air-cooled medium machine gun. The Breda used a slightly larger cartridge than its rivals, the 8x59mm RB Breda. The gun was fed by 20-round trays of cartridges. This limited continuous fire, as the gun could be fired rapidly only when a second crew member fed in one ammunition tray after another (although being air cooled the gun would be unable to fire more than short bursts anyway, or it would rapidly overheat). The weapon tended to jam whenever a case was reinserted even slightly out of line. In service, the Breda M37 proved to be fairly reliable machine guns. Perhaps because the heavy support weapons received more attention from their crews, field reports were generally positive except for jams caused by desert sand and dust, which in the Western Desert affected all infantry machine guns to some extent. The Breda 37's slow rate of fire helped prevent overheating during prolonged fire, and its powerful, heavy-bullet cartridge had excellent range and penetration. Still, this machine gun was almost twice as heavy as the German machine guns. In fact, it was the heaviest World War II rifle-caliber machine gun, and unnecessarily complex to use and deploy. This was another issue for Italians, whose mobility was limited by their weak truck fleet. The tripod added around 20 kg to the complex, putting it at around 40 kg. Production ended in 1943.

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23. Minors Allied PM M1910 Maxim HMG

This support weapon was frequently used by many Allied-aligned countries. The PM M1910 was a heavy machine gun used by the Red Army during World War II. Invented by the American-born British inventor Sir Hiram Maxim in 1889, the machinegun that bears his name was the worldwide standard for automatic weapons by 1900. It was derived from Hiram Maxim's Maxim gun, chambered for the standard Russian 7.62×54mmR rifle cartridge. The M1910 was mounted on a wheeled mount with a gun shield and was replaced in Soviet service by the SG-43 Goryunov, which retained the wheeled and shielded carriage, starting in 1943. However, production of the Maxim did not end until 1945. The gun used distinctive and easily recognized short recoil and toggle locked mechanisms that gave users the feeling of holding onto a steam locomotive when fired. Rear spade grips served as handles while a solenoid button between the grips, pushed by the thumbs, fired the gun. Capable of rattling off ten rounds of ammunition per second, the gun would overheat quickly. To keep it cool enough to fire continuously, a 4-liter water jacket was fitted around the 28.4-inch barrel. Gun crews were also issued simple stands to elevate the guns if needed. Simplicity and durability were a rule in these guns. The two spade grips concealed reservoirs that held lubricant and solvent. To apply these, you just unscrewed the top caps of the grips, to which were attached applicators inside the reservoirs. To clean the solid milled steel breechblock, an operator just opened the lid and lifted it up and out. Even when many armies switched to metal links, the Russians retained these canvas belts.

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24. Minors Axis Satchel Charge

This support weapon was frequently used by many Axis allied countries. In World War II, Combat Engineers used satchel charges to demolish heavy stationary targets such as rails, obstacles, blockhouses, bunkers, caves, and bridges. Likewise, they also used antipersonnel and anti-tank mines in all the scenarios where the Italian army fought. A satchel charge is a demolition device, primarily intended for combat, whose primary components are a charge of dynamite or a more potent explosive such as C-4 plastic explosive, a carrying device functionally similar to a satchel or messenger bag, and a triggering mechanism; the term covers both improvised and formally designed devices. The Minors Armies, like the Germans and, to a lesser extent, the British and the Italians, had experimented with magnetic anti-tank weapons. The anti-tank mine resembles a disc-shaped canvas cloth bag, with a snap-fastened flap on the outer edge for inserting eight blocks of explosive. There are also four equally spaced permanent magnets attached to the outer edge of the mine and an external fuze. When used, the safety pin was pulled, the fuze cap given a sharp tap, and the mine was then placed or tossed on armour plate within a range of ten feet, there being a delay of about five to six seconds. Four magnets were attached to the casing made of hemp cloth, along with an external fuze. The fuze had a time delay, which enabled it to be used as an anti-tank hand grenade, or a demolition charge. Placed against thin points of armor or on the hatch of a tank, this mine, when detonated, could penetrate 20 mm of steel plate.

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25. Minors Allied Satchel Charge

This support weapon was frequently used by many Allied-aligned countries. A satchel charge is a demolition device, primarily intended for combat, whose primary components are a charge of dynamite or a more potent explosive such as C-4 plastic explosive, a carrying device functionally similar to a satchel or messenger bag, and a triggering mechanism. In World War II, combat engineers used satchel charges to demolish heavy stationary targets such as rails, obstacles, blockhouses, bunkers, caves, and bridges. Part or all of this charge could be placed against a structure or slung into an opening. It was usually detonated with a pull igniter. When used as an anti-tank weapon, charges were sufficient to severely damage the tracks. 4 kg charges were enough to destroy medium tanks. The demolition charge assembly consists of 8 block demolition charges, 8 block demolition charge hook assemblies, and 2 demolition priming assemblies. One of the simplest plastic explosives was Nobel's Explosive No. 808, also known as Nobel 808 (often just called Explosive 808 in the British Armed Forces during the Second World War), developed by the British company Nobel Chemicals Ltd well before World War II. It had the appearance of green plasticine with a distinctive smell of almonds. During World War II it was extensively used by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) at Aston House for sabotage missions. It is also the explosive used in HESH anti-tank shells and was an essential factor in the devising of the Gammon grenade. Captured SOE-supplied Nobel 808 was the explosive used in the failed 20 July plot assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in 1944.

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26. Minors Axis Molotov Cocktail pack

This support weapon was frequently used by many Axis allied countries. A Molotov cocktail, also known as a petrol bomb or just Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of bottle-based improvised incendiary weapons. A Molotov cocktail is a breakable glass bottle containing a flammable substance such as gasoline, alcohol or a napalm-like mixture, with some motor oil added, and usually a source of ignition such as a burning cloth wick held in place by the bottle's stopper. The wick is usually soaked in alcohol or kerosene, rather than petrol. Incendiary bottles are one of the simplest and most reliable means for destroying tanks, armored cars, transport trucks, warehouses, landed airplanes, and enemies in cover. In the hands of a brave soldier, they are a fearsome weapon. Skilled and sudden use can not only strike the enemy, but cause panic and compromise enemy organization. When the bottles hit a solid object, the bottle breaks, and the liquid inside of it ignites, either with a match attached to the bottle, a special metallic igniter, or a capsule inside the bottle. In action, the wick is lit and the bottle hurled at a target such as a vehicle or fortification. When the bottle smashes on impact, the ensuing cloud of fuel droplets and vapor is ignited by the attached wick, causing an immediate fireball followed by spreading flames as the remainder of the fuel is consumed. Other flammable liquids such as diesel fuel, methanol, turpentine, jet fuel, and isopropyl alcohol have been used in place of, or combined with petrol. Thickening agents such as solvents, foam polystyrene, baking soda, petroleum jelly, tar, strips of tire tubing, nitrocellulose, XPS foam, motor oil, rubber cement, detergent and dish soap have been added to help the burning liquid adhere to the target and create clouds of thick, choking smoke.

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27. Minors Allied Molotov Cocktail pack

A Molotov cocktail is a generic name used for a variety of bottle-based improvised incendiary weapons. A Molotov cocktail is a breakable glass bottle containing a flammable substance such as gasoline, alcohol or a napalm-like mixture, with some motor oil added, and usually a source of ignition such as a burning cloth wick held in place by the bottle's stopper. When the bottles hit a solid object, the bottle breaks, and the liquid inside of it ignites, either with a match attached to the bottle, a special metallic igniter, or a capsule inside the bottle. When the bottle smashes on impact, the ensuing cloud of fuel droplets and vapor is ignited by the attached wick, causing an immediate fireball followed by spreading flames as the remainder of the fuel is consumed. Other flammable liquids such as diesel fuel, methanol, turpentine, jet fuel, and isopropyl alcohol have been used in place of, or combined with petrol. Thickening agents such as solvents, foam polystyrene, baking soda, petroleum jelly, tar, strips of tire tubing, nitrocellulose, XPS foam, motor oil, rubber cement, detergent and dish soap have been added to help the burning liquid adhere to the target and create clouds of thick, choking smoke. To destroy the enemy tanks with bottles, each partisan carried 3 bottles, one with liquid KS and two with liquid # 1 and # 3. The partisan had to position himself in a trench, crevice, crater of shells, or any other concealment, camouflage and hide from bullets and shrapnel. When they approached, the partisan had prepared their bottles to throw them. When the tank or cart is 15-20 meters away, the partisan takes a KS bottle, holds the cylindrical part and throws it into the tank, followed by one or two bottles # 1 and # 3. Bottles # 1 and # 3 can be held by the neck, if it is more comfortable.

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28. Minors Axis Flamethrower

This support weapon was frequently used by many Axis allied countries. Few weapons in any army’s arsenal are as terrifying as flamethrowers. Just the thought of being burned to death or hideously scarred for life is enough to send even the bravest, most battle-hardened troops fleeing in panic. Flammenwerfern were invented in Germany in the early 20th century and effectively employed in World War I by German Strosstrüppen and Sturmpioniere. A modern flamethrower is a simple weapon. When the trigger is pulled, a quantity of flammable liquid under pressure is forced out of the nozzle and an igniter in the nozzle sets the liquid aflame as it shoots toward the target. A mixture of pressurized nitrogene gas and Flammol, a volatile liquid, was ignited by a magnesium-triggering device spewing liquid flame that could easily gain entry into bunkers through their gun slits and incinerate the inhabitants. With an effective range of 20 to 30 meters, surprise and speed in the employment of flamethrowers were necessary when attacking enemy positions. The thick, black smoke also served to produce a “screen,” enabling infantry to quickly follow and seize the tactical advantage. Small, 90-pound portable one-man canister units were introduced in 1934. These were first employed in 1940 to destroy French and Dutch fortifications, bunkers, and gun positions. They were later critical in house-to-house fighting and as a means to implement Germany’s “scorched earth” policy in the East, and for “reprisals.” Flamethrowers were also used extensively in destroying the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland. Other countries that employed the weapon during the war include Italy, Japan, Britain, Australia, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

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29. Minors Allied Flamethrower ROKS-3

This support weapon was frequently used by many Allied-aligned countries. Flamethrowers really were not prevalent in WW2 especially early war. The British didn't have them till 44 and then the things didn't work to well. The Japanese didn't use them much. The Italians had loads on paper but hardly used them. Even the US which was the biggest manpack user struggled with their use throughout the war. When maintained fueled properly and got into the right place they worked. But doing so seems to have been a constant problem. In 1942, the U.S. Army introduced its own man-portable flamethrower. The French Army used flamethrowers in Europe in small numbers, though they were available for special employments. Flamethrowers were deployed during the Normandy landings in order to clear Axis fortifications. Also, most boat teams on Omaha Beach included a two-man flamethrower team. The ROKS-2 and ROKS-3 were man-portable flamethrowers used by the USSR in the Second World War. The ROKS-2 Flamethrower was used by Soviet forces from 1935-1945 and it used in many different battles along the Eastern Front. There is controversy about whether the rifle and backpack camouflage actually worked very well, but even so, the ROKS Flamethrower was used by Soviet and Finnish troops. The variant the ROKS-2 flamethrower was the ROKS-3, which was introduced as a far more simplistic models to save on production time and costs. The ROKS-3 was a simplified model that designed to be easier to manufacture, it did away with the disguise for the backpack, though it retained the flame projector designed to resemble a rifle. Both models carried around 9 liters of fuel. The fuel was propelled by nitrogen gas pressurized at 115 bars and, under ideal circumstances, had a maximum range of around 45 meters.

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30. Minors Axis Anti-Tank Rifle Team

The Solothurn S 18-1000 was a Swiss-built 20 mm Anti-Tank rifle which was an upgraded version of the earlier S 18-100, with modifications for a higher muzzle velocity, as well as a larger cartridge size. It saw service in both the Axis and Allied forces and was deployed in many theatres of operations through the war. Despite its weight and size, it was appreciated by the troops that used it. The more powerful ammunition resulted in significant recoil, which was problematic for the gunner, and its size made portability difficult. The hard-hitting power, coupled with their small silhouette, meant that the weapon could be effectively used against the lightly armored tanks. The first nation to acquire the S 18-1000 for service was the Swiss Army, which placed an initial order for 60. These were designated Tankbüchse Solo 40 and were delivered in the first quarter of 1940. Another 33 were ordered as the Swiss Army was impressed by its capabilities, bringing the total in Swiss use to 93. With Europe being engulfed by war, Sweden started to look towards protecting itself. In 1940, it made inquiries to purchase 480 S 18-1000s. These were approved as Sweden was a neutral country and thus not subjected to Switzerland’s restrictions. Using balance of trade payments with Germany for steel, the rifles arrived between 1940-1941 and were designated 20 mm pansarvärnskanon m/1939. Hungary had purchased the S 18-100 in 1935 and were producing their own licensed variant, the 36M 20mm Nehézpuska. After the Slovak–Hungarian War, they realized that the 36M was in need of upgrading and purchased around 50 (sources vary) of the new S 18-1000 in early 1940, but as restrictions became tighter, they were unable to purchase more and so production continued on the 36M until 1943.

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31. Minors Allied Anti-Tank Rifle Team

The Rifle Anti-Tank .55in Boys, was commonly known as the "Boys Anti-tank Rifle". It was often nicknamed the "elephant gun" by its users due to its size and large bore. There were three main versions of the Boys: an early model (Mark I) which had a circular muzzle brake and T-shaped monopod, built primarily at BSA in England; a later model (Mk I*) built primarily at the John Inglis and Company in Toronto, Canada, that had a rectangular muzzle brake and a V shaped bipod; and a third model made for airborne forces with a 30-inch (762 mm) barrel and no muzzle brake. The Boys anti-tank rifle was "ludicrously inadequate" against even the more thinly-armoured of the German tanks, having been designed for the defence of the Egyptian border after the Italian-Abyssinian war. Using armour-piercing (AP), armour-piercing incendiary (API), and armour-piercing incendiary tracer (APIT) ammunition, the .50 Browning was just as capable in armour penetration and more devastating when igniting thin-skinned vehicles using incendiary rounds than the Boys, and could also serve as an effective anti-aircraft weapon. The Boys' violent recoil and mediocre armor penetration made it unpopular among its Minors Allied users. Apart from the violent recoil, the noise made the wearing of ear-plugs prudent and the original steel-cored bullet had to be replaced by one of the harder tungsten-carbide to render it even remotely effective. The 1937 training leaflet recommended practice against targets moving at 15-25 mph at up to 500 yards range—extremely unrealistic advice. The Boys rifles were also used by the Chinese Nationalist Army during the late Second Sino-Japanese War in both China and Burma.

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32. Minors Axis Light Mortar 50mm

The 50 mm leichter Granatwerfer 36 was a light mortar used by Germany Army and Axis Minors Armies during World War II. Engineers tried to make a useful portable 50mm system that could benefit squad-level operations but instead created an overly complex and heavy system with limited range that proved to be a detriment to a resource-strapped Germany by the middle and end years of the war. In the end, the leGrW 36 had a limited existence and was ultimately passed down to second-line units as more favorable weapons replaced it. By 1941, the Granatwerfer 36 was seen as too complex for its intended role. It fired too light a shell and had too short of a range. It was used as a platoon mortar and operated by a 3-man team. Production was terminated in 1941. By 1942, it had been gradually withdrawn from front line service. The German firm Rheinmetall-Borsig AG went about designing their new leGrW 36 (leichte Granatwerfer 36) in 1934. The launch tube would be fixed to the baseplate while trajectory support would come from a simple monopod-type assembly. In contrast, most mortar systems utilized a separate baseplate attached to the firing tube with an accompanying bipod assembly for support. The leGrW 36 was also made somewhat portable by a single infantryman thanks to an integrated handle though the overall weight of the little system left something to be desired. The firing action was accomplished through use of a trigger as opposed to an impact firing pin common in other light mortar designs. The leGrW 36 had the added benefit of being made ready to fire almost immediately thanks to its design - the operator needed only to set the system down, adjust traverse and elevation and introduce a projectile into the firing tube.

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33. Minors Allied Light Mortar 50mm

The two-inch mortar was one of a number of small mortars brought into service by European nations between the two World Wars. The "Ordnance, Muzzle Loading, 2-inch Mortar" was derived from a Spanish design. The threatening international situation forced it into production in 1938 after only a minimum of testing, but nonetheless it performed well throughout WW2. Its short range was a drawback, but one at least partially offset by its ability to fire smoke, and later, IR. Due to its small size, and for simplicity, the mortar had no forward strut or bipod like larger designs needed. The barrel was held at the correct angle by one soldier while the other loaded and fired the round. The original design had a large base plate and sights for aiming which used spirit levels. As the design matured, the baseplate became smaller and the sights were omitted. Aiming was by eye and relied on the firer's judgment and experience. With such a short barrel the normal firing method, where the bomb was dropped down the tube and a pin in the base of the barrel struck the detonator in the tail of the bomb, would not work, so firing was by a small trigger mechanism at the breech. The bombs were cylindrical with a (perforated) four finned tail. For the HE projectile an impact fuze was fitted in the nose of the bomb. One 2-in., mortar was allotted to the HQ of each infantry platoon. The little 2" mortar was of 1918 vintage, lacked punch like all mortars of so small a calibre, and had rudimentary sights in the form of a white line painted on the barrel. With a theoretical rate of fire of 20-30 rpm, great skill was needed by the user if ammunition was not to be wasted.

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34. Minors Axis Medium Mortar 81mm

Brandt's innovative projectile design along with the Stokes Mortar provided the pattern for most World War II era light mortars. France, Russia, Italy, China and the United States all had weapons built from this design many times with similar weights, dimensions and performance. The Brandt mle 27/31 was a simple and effective weapon, consisting of a smoothbore metal tube fixed to a base plate, with a lightweight bipod mount and could be disassembled into 3 loads, plus the ammunitions loads. In 1928, an unlicensed Polish copy was made as the Avia wz.28. The Polish then produced a licensed copy as the wz.31 model starting in 1935. By 1939, the Polish army was equipped with some 1,200 Stokes-Brandt mortars, most of them the newer 1931 model. Each Polish infantry battalion was intended to be equipped with four such mortars, but there were not enough available to fulfill this disposition. The upgraded 1931 version was used by the Polish Army during, amongst others, the Battle of Westerplatte in 1939. In Romania, the mortar was licence-produced at the Voina Works in Brașov, with a production rate of 30 pieces per month as of October 1942 (over 1,000 such mortars were built in Romania by mid-1943). 360 mortars captured by the Germans from the French were also received in 1942. The Mortaio da 81/14 again traces its lineage to the French Brandt 81mm mortar, from which both the American and Soviet weapons devolved. First used in Ethiopia in 1936, the 81/14 was a close copy of the French Brandt 81mm mortar. Its ammunition was interchangeable with that of U.S. and French 81mm mortars, and it could also fire German 81 mm rounds to just over 2000m. The 81mm MTR is perhaps the best weapon in the Axis Minor Armies arsenal of guns.

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35. Minors Allied Medium Mortar 81mm

The M1 is a World War 2 era 81mm mortar of US origin. The M1 is a conventional muzzle loaded smoothbore 81mm mortar. It is a slightly modified Brandt Mle 27/31 mortar. It can be disassembled in three pieces, being the barrel, the baseplate and the bipod with sight assembly. The M1 fires a variety of 81mm shells. The maximum range is 3 km. The maximum rate of fire is 30 rounds per minute, with 18 rounds per minute being the normal rate of fire. The M1 can be disassembled in three pieces that can be transported by infantry over short distances. Over longer distance the M1 and its associated ammunition and crew are transported by utility vehicle or light truck. The main user of the M1 was the United States. It has been exported to many nations around the world, mostly in Europe, South America and Asia. With most nations it has been replaced by newer designs. Still, the M1 still remains in use today and from time to time pops up in armed conflicts. About 30,000 were made during the war. Its primary use was in the heavy weapons company of the infantry battalion, whose mortar platoon contained three sections of two mortars each. Like the "lighter" M2 system, the M1 was made up of three main components - the firing tube, bipod and baseplate. A firing pin at the base of the firing tube activated the projectile's primer and ignition cartridge and the corresponding action launched the round at the predetermined desired angle. The operator need only to protect themselves after the projectile was dropped in the tube. The M1 maintained a minimum range of 200 yards and a maximum range of 3,300 yards. Elevation was +40 to +85 with a traverse of 14-degrees. The operator utilized an M4 collimator sight fitted to the bipod for accuracy calculations and adjustments.

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36. Minors Axis Heavy Mortar 120mm

Developed in 1942, the 12 cm GrW 42 was an attempt to give German and Axis Minor Armies infantry units a close support weapon with greater performance than the mortars used in general service at the time. This weapon was very similar to the M1938 mortar used by Soviet forces on the Eastern Front which in turn was an improved version of the French 120 mm Brandt Mle 1935 mortar. The 120 mm Brandt m35 was used in limited quantities during the Battle of France and exported to the USSR and other nations before the country's capitulation in 1940. The GrW 42 was basically the usual three-part construction made up of a circular base plate like the previous Soviet design, the tube itself and the supporting bi-pod. Because of the greater weight of the weapon (the tube weighed 31.7 kg, the baseplate 36.3 kg and the bipod 32.2 kg) a two-wheeled axle was utilized, enabling the mortar to be towed into action. Each part could be man-packed for some distance, but small handcarts were issued for longer distances. The axle could then be quickly removed before firing. A total of 5,373,000 rounds of ammunition were produced for the weapon. The lower muzzle velocity of a mortar meant that its shell walls could be thinner than those of artillery shells and it could carry a larger payload than artillery shells of the same weight. This made it an attractive delivery system for poison gases. The U.S. Army's Chemical Warfare Service developed their 4.2-inch chemical mortar for precisely that reason and the Nebeltruppen shared that reasoning. Its first weapon was also a mortar, the 10 cm Nebelwerfer 35, which was designed in 1934.

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37. Minors Allied Heavy Mortar 120mm

The OML 4.2-inch Mark III Mortar was used by the Allies Minor Armies. This mortar was developed in 1941 to fire chemical rounds, but HE ammo was designed for it as the fighting in North Africa made it clear that a mortar with a range greater than that of the 3-in. was needed. Both HE (9.1 kg) and smoke (10.2 kg) ammunition was used. Smoke included WP and Base Ejection, and in World War II other types for practice. Two charges were available. In World War II, both streamlined and cylindrical bombs were available. Chemical munitions included the MK I chemical mortar bomb with Mustard gas (HS or HT fillings). The 4.2 in mortar was a smooth-bore weapon of the Stokes pattern and was designed and produced by the Royal Ordnance Factories. The Mark 3 became the standard model. Like the 3-in., the 4.2-in. initially had an unsatisfactory range for a mortar of its caliber, being able to reach out only to about 3100m; improved ammo soon appeared, which increased its range to some 3900m. The 4.2-inch mortar was equipped with with a standard base plate and tripod. There was also an auxiliary base plate that fitted around it, to increase its area for use on softer ground. Later an integrated trailer/base plate was developed, called the Mk 1 Mobile Baseplate. The wheels, which were on suspension arms, were unlocked and raised for firing; the Mk1/1 had detachable wheels and the barrel with tripod attached, was stowed on top for towing. The mobile base plate trailer mounting could be brought into action by 2 men. Regarding rate of fire, one source reports a crew putting 23 bombs in the air before the first impacted.

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38. Minors Axis Cavalry

The usefulness of the horse in modern warfare was a discovery Imperial Japan Army. In reality, without the services of this dumb, faithful animal, Japanese troops would not have been able to camy out successful, daring attacks upon enemy positions, particularly in battles an the rugged steeps and in the narrow passes of the mountains. The 1st Cavalry Brigade was a formation of the Royal Hungarian Army that participated in the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia during World War II. At the beginning of the war there were 26 cavalry regiments in the Romanian Army: 12 rosiori regiments, 13 calarasi regiments and the Horse Guard Regiment. The rosiori were the regular cavalry, the elite of the Romanian Army. The calarasi were the territorial cavalry. The 12 rosiori regiments and 6 calarasi regiments formed 6 cavalry brigades. The other 7 calarasi regiments were divided among the large units and formed their recon groups: each corps had a cavalry battalion and each division a cavalry squadron attached to it. The 1st Cavalry Division of the Royal Yugoslav Army was established in 1921, soon after the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. It was part of the Yugoslav 1st Army Group during the World War II. The New 36th Division was a cavalry division in the National Revolutionary Army. It was created in 1932 by the Kuomintang for General Ma Zhongying, who was also its first commander. It was made almost entirely out of Hui Muslim troops, all of its officers were Hui, with a few thousand Uighurs forced conscripts in the rank and file. It was commonly referred to as the "KMT 36th Division", or "Tungan 36th Division". Cavalry regiments were divided into 2,000 men each, by horse color, black, brown, or white. Infantry then followed cavalry.

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39. Minors Allied Cavalry

The charge at Krojanty or skirmish of Krojanty was a Polish cavalry charge on the evening of 1 September 1939, the first day of the Second World War, near the Pomeranian village of Krojanty. It occurred at the start of the invasion of Poland and was part of the larger Battle of Tuchola Forest. Polish soldiers advanced east along the railway to a railroad crossroads 7 kilometres from the town of Chojnice, where elements of the Polish cavalry charged and dispersed a German infantry battalion. Machine gun fire from German armoured cars that appeared from a nearby forest forced the Poles to retreat. However, the attack delayed the German advance, allowing the Polish 1st Rifle Battalion and Czersk Operational Group to withdraw safely. The incident prompted false reports of Polish cavalry attacking German tanks, after journalists saw the bodies of horses and cavalrymen. The scene of the Polish cavalry charging panzers with lances remains a common myth. The 18th Pomeranian Uhlans spotted a group of German infantry resting in a clearing in the Tuchola Forest heath near the railroad crossroads of Chojnice–Runowo Pomorskie line. Colonel Kazimierz Mastalerz decided to take the enemy by surprise and ordered Eugeniusz Świeściak, commander of the 1st squadron, to execute a cavalry charge, leading two squadrons, about 250 strong. The charge was successful but about a third of the Polish force was dead or wounded. The Polish cavalry charge impressed the Germans and caused a delay in the offensive of the German 20th Motorised Infantry Division which considered a tactical retreat. This was however prevented by personal intervention of General Guderian, who in his memoirs stated that he encountered his staff "preparing an anti-tank gun for a possible Polish cavalry attack."