Units of Minor Armies

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Units of Minor Armies

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1. Minor Armies Assault Engineers

The Finnish terms "sissi" translates to English as "'guerrilla.'" This use of the terms is, however, misleading when referring to Finnish Defence Force Sissi troops. They were part of the regular Finnish troops trained for operations behind enemy lines. Like most of the Finnish Defence Forces, Sissi battalions are composed of reservists. Their closest foreign equivalents are the Swedish Armed Forces Jägare troops. The training of the Sissi troops was not centralized, but they were historically trained in several Finnish Defence Force brigades as well as in the Sissi companies of the Finnish Border Guard. Reserve officers for all Sissi troops were trained at Reserviupseerikoulu. The Sissi conscripts were given training in survival, signals and demolitions, extended small arms training as well as training in advanced escape & evasion techniques and ambush tactics. Those unable to cope for either physical or psychological reasons were either given deferments or transferred to a regular infantry training. Before the hostilities of Winter War, the Finnish Borderguard formed 25 Independent Battalions (Erillinen Pataljoona) from local reservists along the border area. After the outbreak of hostilities, a further five Sissi Battalions (Sissipataljoona) were formed from "auxiliary personnel". In the Continuation War the ad hoc Sissi Battalions were replaced by Independent Battalions. In the Ladoga Karelia area of operations the length of the front, the absence of roads and a lack of troops prevented continuous front lines during the trench warfare period. Battles were short clashes of lightly armed infantry groups from squadron to battalion in size, with little chance of support or reinforcements.

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2. Minors Elite

The Bataillon de Chasseurs Ardennais was originally formed in 1933 to ensure the defense of Belgium's Luxembourg Province including the natural region of the Ardennes and particularly noted for its role during the German invasion of 1940. Considered a high-value élite unit, it was formed largely of volunteers from the region and was allocated more modern equipment than other units of the Belgian Army. It eventually consisted of two army divisions complete with artillery and mobile units. At the time of the German invasion of Belgium in May 1940, the Chasseurs ardennais proved more successful in combat than many other units and fought a number of successful small-scale actions against the German Army before the capitulation of the Belgian Army. Although the idea of a distinctive uniform was rejected, the Chasseurs adopted a distinctive green Basque-style beret in the style of the Chasseurs alpins. At the time, they were the only unit in the Belgian Army to wear a beret. As the Belgian Army withdrew across the Meuse River on 10-11 May 1940, it proved impossible to establish a viable defensive position. The 1st Chasseurs Ardennais Division regrouped north of Namur and suffered heavy losses to German aerial attacks at Belgrade and Temploux suffering several hundred casualties. The two divisions were ordered to withdraw to the Leie (Lys) river in Flanders. Chasseurs ardennais units successfully held the front at Gottem, Deinze and Vinkt during the ensuing Battle of the Lys (24–28 May 1940) before the ultimate capitulation of the Belgian Army on 28 May 1940.

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3. Minors Armies Special Service Troops

The Vânători de Munte (Mountain Hunters) are the elite mountain troops of the Romanian Land Forces. They were first established as an independent Army Corps in 1916 during World War I, and became operational in 1917 under Corpul de Munte designation. At the outbreak of the war with the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, the Mountain Corps consisted of four brigades made up of twelve groups, each with two battalions. There were 24 battalions out of which the first sixteen were very well trained and armed active units. The rest were formed after the general mobilization and were of lower quality. A mountain brigade consisted of six Vanatori de Munte battalions, one mountain artillery group and one mountain pioneer battalion. The mountain troops had a higher level of training and professionalism than the regular infantry. The initiative at battalion level was more developed. They were well suited to fighting in difficult terrain, but they lacked sufficient artillery, which made them vulnerable in the open terrain of the Russian steppe. The Romanian Vânători de munte saw action in World War II on the Eastern Front in some of the harshest battles — including the sieges of Sevastopol and Stalingrad — where their performance lived up to their reputation: virtually all their commanders from brigade level and up received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, with general Mihail Lascăr being the first foreigner to receive Oak Leaves on 22 November 1942. The greatest single achievement of the vânători de munte was the capture of Nalchik on 2 November 1942, the farthest point of the Germany advance into the Caucasus. This victory earned Romanian Brigadier General Ioan Dumitrache the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the coup d'état of 23 August 1944, the vânători de munte fought on the Soviet side, notably in the Tatra Mountains.

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4. Minors Armies Heavy Infantry

The 68th Special Forces Brigade was one of two Bulgarian military special operations units; the second one was Naval Special Reconnaissance Detachment a combat unit retained within the structure of the Bulgarian Navy. The 68th Brigade is also Bulgaria's principal paratrooper unit and includes the 101st Alpine Battalion, which has participated in all conflicts involving Bulgaria. Bulgaria is one of the few countries in the world, which developed its operational and tactical doctrine for the use of paratrooper forces on its own. The reason for that is the context of its actions during the war. The Kingdom of Bulgaria was a very reluctant ally of the Third Reich. Other than the two army corps that the Bulgarian Army contributed to occupation duties in Yugoslavia and Greece in regions predominantly inhabited by compact ethnic Bulgarians. It was established in 1942 under the name Parashutna Druzhina ("Paratrooper battalion"), its initial personnel being 350 soldiers, who received their training in Germany and its location was decided to be the Vrazhdebna airfield. Druzhina was the traditional word used for an infantry battalion in the Kingdom of Bulgaria, roughly translated as a camaraderie. It was first thrown in combat in 1944, when Bulgaria already changed its allegiance from the Axis to the Allies and the Soviet Union. The Parashutna druzhina fought with the Wehrmacht in Macedonia and the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen, achieving several victories.

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5. Minors Armies First Line

The roots of the Korps Commandotroepen (Commando Corps) go back to World War II. The unit was formed under the name No. 2 (Dutch) Troop, which was part of No. 10 Commando, on March 22, 1942. No. 2 (Dutch) Troop was tasked with conducting special operations, which, at the time, were operations that were considered too complex and too dangerous for conventional military units. In March 1942, the first 48 Dutch commandos were voluntarily selected from the Princess Irene Brigade and commenced training in four different British training centres, later rejoining in Achnacarry, Scotland. Of the 48 men, 25 managed to finish the intense commando course and were awarded the coveted green beret. From 1942 to 1943, the unit grew in size and achieved combat readiness. While the unit was initially supposed to deploy in Malaysia and Sumatra in 1944, this deployment was later called off. However, five Dutch commandos were sent to Burma to fight against the Japanese forces in the Arakan Campaign in 1943. The troop returned to Europe in July 1944; in the ensuing months, multiple commandos were dropped in the German-occupied Netherlands to establish contact with the Dutch resistance forces. In September 1944, Dutch commandos joined the Allied paratrooper force to fight in the failed airborne Operation Market Garden. In addition, the troop fought to free the Dutch island of Walcheren as part of the allied Operation Infatuate in November 1944. The full dress uniform of the unit follows the uniform tradition of the conventional infantry units, dating back to 1912. The uniform consists of blue-black trousers and a blue-black jacket with a standing collar, the green commando aiguillette is worn on the left shoulder and the Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife is attached to the belt on the left side.

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6. Minors Armies Second Line

The Gyorshadtest ("Mobile Corps") was the most modern and best-equipped mechanized unit of the Royal Hungarian Army at the beginning of World War II. 65 Italian Fiat L3 tankettes and 95 Hungarian Toldi I light/medium tanks were available. The L3s had two 8 mm machine guns in a fixed forward position. The L3s had no turret and were referred to as "tankettes" rather than light tanks. The Toldis were light tanks and had a 20 mm gun in a rotating turret. By August 1941, the Hungarian mechanized corps was a key participant in the Battle of Uman. The "Rapid Corps" represented one half of a pincer which was enveloping the 6th Army and the 12th Army. The German 16th Panzer Division represented the other half of the pincer. On 3 August 1941, the pincer halves met and the 6th Army and the 12th Army were trapped. Over 100,000 Soviets were captured. The "Rapid Corps" grew weaker in the summer of 1941. The German commanders typically allowed little room for the Hungarians to take independent action. The German General Staff had high praise for the outstanding achievements and tactical victories of the Hungarian mechanized corps. The mechanized corps fought for five months in a long campaign and covered over 1,000 miles of territory. These victories were too costly. And the costs was not limited to the mechanized corps itself. The costs were also too high to the whole Hungarian nation. For a country the size of Hungary, the losses were tremendous. By the end of 1941, there were over 200 officers and more than 2,500 rank and file dead. Over 1,500 Hungarians were missing in action. At a minimum, another 7,500 were wounded. Losses in material were high as well. In November 1941, the "Rapid Corps" returned to Budapest.

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7. Minors Armies Green Infantry

Cichociemni ("Silent Unseen") were elite special-operations paratroopers of the Polish Army in exile, created in Great Britain during World War II to operate in occupied Poland. A total of 2,613 Polish Army soldiers volunteered for training by Polish and British SOE operatives. The Silent Unseen were trained initially in Scotland in preparation for missions for the Polish underground in occupied Poland, such as building-clearance and bridge-demolition. Only 606 people completed the training, and eventually 316 of them were secretly parachuted into occupied Poland. The first operation ("air bridge") took place on 15 February 1941. This operation was conducted by Captain Józef Zabielski, Major Stanisław Krzymowski and political courier Czesław Raczkowski. The Allied air commands carried out 483 air-bridge operations all together, losing 68 planes to crashes and enemy fire. Through 27 December 1944, 316 soldiers and 28 emissaries successfully parachuted into Poland. Of 316 Cichociemni, 103 perished during the war: in combat with the Germans, executed by the Gestapo, or in crashes. Ninety-one Cichociemni operatives took part in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Though the Silent Unseen were organized in collaboration with SOE, it was largely independent. The Polish section of SOE was the only one which freely chose its own men and operated its own radio communications with an occupied country. Additionally, the identities of the Polish agents were known only to the Polish General Staff. In Poland the Silent Unseen were assigned mostly to special units of the ZWZ and Home Army. Many became important staff officers of the Polish Secret Army and took part in Operation Tempest and uprisings in Wilno, Lwów and Warsaw.

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8. Minors Armies Recruits

The Serbian Volunteer Corps, also known as Ljotićevci, was the paramilitary branch of the fascist political organisation Zbor, and collaborated with the forces of Germany in the German-occupied territory of Serbia during World War II. In July 1941, following a full-scale rebellion by communist Yugoslav Partisans and royalist Chetniks, the German military commander in Serbia pressured Milan Nedić's collaborationist government to deal with the uprisings under the threat of letting the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia, Hungary, and Bulgaria occupy the territory and maintain peace and order in it. A paramilitary militia called the Serbian Volunteer Detachments was formed, the unit, never formally part of the German armed forces, numbered about 3,500 men, mostly Serbian but also included some Croats and Slovenes. It was reorganised as the Serbian Volunteer Corps, at the end of 1942, and placed under the command of Colonel Kosta Mušicki. By 1944 the majority of the Serbian Volunteer Corps recruits were draftees as opposed to volunteers and reached a peak strength of 9,886 men. After the Red Army entered Serbia and Belgrade was liberated in October 1944, the corps retreated with the Germans into the Slovene Lands. In November it was taken over by the Waffen-SS, and incorporated into the SFK: Serbisches Freiwilligen Korps (Serbian Volunteer Corps), an infantry unit composed of the various Nedić’s collaborationist groups on the run. In March 1945, with defeat imminent, it was renamed the Serbian SS Corps (Serbisches SS Korps). The surviving members of the three SFK regiments, retreated into Austria where they surrendered to the British on 12 May 1945 near Klagenfurt.

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9. Minors Armies Conscripts

The Sacred Band or Sacred Squadron was a Greek special forces unit formed in 1942 in the Middle East, composed entirely of Greek officers and officer cadets under the command of Col. Christodoulos Tsigantes. It fought alongside the SAS in the Western Desert and the Aegean, as well as with General Leclerc's Free French Forces in Tunisia. It was the precursor to the modern Special Forces of the Hellenic Army. In August 1942 the "Company of Chosen Immortals" was formed under Cavalry Major Antonios Stefanakis in Palestine, with 200 men. Initially, the unit was organized as a machine gun company and intended to be attached to the II Greek Brigade, then under formation. On September 15, 1942, the unit's new commander, Colonel Tsigantes, renamed the unit to "Sacred Band" after the Sacred Band of Thebes and the Sacred Band of the Greek Revolution, and applied for its conversion into a special forces unit. The squadron would become the Special Boat Squadron. With the end of the war in Africa, in May, the SAS split into two branches. The Special Raiding Squadron would serve in the central Mediterranean, before returning home to develop an airborne role, whilst the Special Boat Squadron would serve in the Aegean, operating alongside the Greek Sacred Squadron for the rest of the War. Both were later expanded to Regimental status. On March 10, 1943, in the area of Ksar-Rillan in Tunisia, the Sacred Band gave its first battle against a German mechanized detachment, while covering the advance of the X British Army Corps that tried to by-pass the Mareth defence line from the South. On 6 April a mixed Greek-New Zealand detachment fought against the Germans at Wadi Akarit. On 12 April the Sacred Band entered Sousse, and participated in the battle for Enfidaville between 13 and 17 April.

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10. Minors Armies Militia

The Ustaše Militia was created on 11 April 1941 when Yugoslav Army collapsed in the face of the Axis invasion. It was initially commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Jure Francetić, and later, after Francetić was killed by the Partisans in December 1942, by Major Rafael Boban. It became part of the HOS 5th Division in December 1944, with Boban promoted to general to command the division. In mid-1941, the Ustaše militia consisted of 5,000 men, which increased by late 1941 to 16,000 soldiers. In the second half of 1942, its units numbered 42,000. After the capitulation of Italy in September 1943, the Ustaše militia was reorganized. By late 1943, it grew in size to around 55,000 soldiers, organized into nine brigades, three regiments, 48 battalions, and several independent units. There was another reorganization in the 1st half of 1944. The Ustaše militia size increased to 76,000 soldiers. The Ustaše militia recruited ethnic Croats, Muslims, and Germans in its ranks. Until September 1942, the Ustaše militia was filled exclusively with volunteers. An estimated 30% of the Ustaše militia membership was made up of Muslims. Among units stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their share was slightly above 50%, but formed a small part of the officer corps. In July 1943, the Ustaše Headquarters issued an order to fill the ranks of the new SS Handschar Division with Muslims serving in its army. Several elite units were excluded from the order, such as Pavelić's personal guard. Ethnic Germans within the Ustaše milita were organized in the "German ethnic group militia". Its battalions and other units, the last of which was formed in early 1943, numbered around 4,700 officers and soldiers. Their reorganization began in September 1942. By 1 May 1943, all of those units were incorporated into the Waffen-SS.

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11. Minor Heroes

Anna Aniela Krzywoń (27 April 1925 - 12 October 1943), soldier of the 1st Infantry Division Tadeusz Kościuszko, the first (and only in history) Polish woman to receive the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. On May 29, 1943, she joined the Polish Army formed in the USSR as a volunteer , where she was assigned to the 2nd company of fusiliers , the 1st independent women's battalion . During the Battle of Lenino, Aniela was assigned to the headquarters security unit of the 1st Infantry Division , tasked with guarding a truck containing staff documents. The car, hit by a German air bomb, burst into flames. Aniela Krzywoń, ignoring the flames and enemy fire, rescued a box with documents and two wounded from the truck, and herself died in a fire.

Colonel General "Vitéz" Gusztáv Jány (21 October 1883 - 26 November 1947) was a Hungarian officer during World War II who commanded the Hungarian Second Army at the Battle of Stalingrad. He was awarded with the Hungarian Gold Medal of Bravery, the Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class, the Iron Cross (1939) 1st Class, and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (March 31, 1943). He was member of the Vitézi Rend (Order of the Valiant) means "valiant", "gallant soldier" or "knight". The Order of Vitéz is a Hungarian order of merit which was founded in 1920. It was awarded as a state honour from 1920 to 1944, and continues as a semi-independent order of chivalry under Captain General vitéz József Károly von Habsburg. Members were entitled to use the designation Vitéz as a prefix to their names.

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12. Minor Crews

Trench warfare vision, without surprise, emphasized slow (infantry pace), but well armored vehicles, only armed for close support, mainly against pillboxes and trench fortifications. This was deepened by lack of training, weak and poorly coordinated air support, inadequate tanks, lack of modern equipment and, most of all, outdated tactics. The performance of Minor Armies armored crews was superior to the end, especially when one considers the relatively inferior equipment which they had to work with most of the time. For example, the armor plate was prone to crack and split when hit and, generally speaking, the deficiency in quality was not compensated by an increase in thickness. “Cramped, either too cold or too hot, surrounded by sharp edges and hard surfaces. surrounded by incredible noise, fumes. Looking at the battlefield through tiny vision slits or over a radio if you’re lucky, praying that you don’t get killed by an enemy tank or tank gun that you never saw coming, and always being ready to bail out of the tank in the event of a fire. Lots of hard labor maintaining the tank. The food wasn’t good, and there wasn’t ever enough of it. But you have a job to do, and you will do it.” A tank could get cold but the engine heat kept it warm on the move, livable for a few hours after the engine was off and provided heat for meals. It also acted as a wind break and sleeping under it was better then sleeping out in the rain. Inside a tank was absolutely essential to wear that padded tanker’s helmet. The credo on logistical priority, was simple: Ammunition, Fuel, and then Food, in that priority, and tank units got higher priority than the infantry, which were often left to fend for themselves.

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13. Minor Snipers

The primary function of the sniper was to keep the enemy on edge, never knowing when they might be observed and fired at. The preferred targets were officers or NCOs and communications personnel, but anyone foolish enough to show himself was fair game. The sniper is the hunter among soldiers. His job is difficult and demands the dedication of body, soul and mind. Only a thoroughly convinced and steadfast soldier can become a sniper, since it is only possible to destroy an enemy if one has learnt to hate and persecute him with all the strength in one's soul. A sniper is a man set apart from the common soldier, he fights unseen, and his strength is based on Red Indian-like use of territory linked to perfect camouflage, catlike agility, and masterly use of his rifle. Awareness of his abilities gives him the sureness and superiority which guarantee success. The real sniper was better camouflaged, had a telescopic sight on his rifle, concentrated rations and perhaps even binoculars. The rifles issued to the snipers had the special mount for the scope and specially selected rifles with higher level of engineering in order to increase the accuracy. Each rifle was adjusted and fitted with a dedicated scope which had the number of the rifle marked on it. Snipers would be assigned to a sector of the battalion front and would then be very much free to decide on their exact positions. Usually leaving before dawn they would select a good position in which to spend the day, there being little chance to return to their own lines before dusk. Ideally, they would select a position from where they could see a section of the enemy line while remaining in good cover. They would also select a number of alternate positions since once they had revealed their presence by firing they could expect machine gun and mortar fire in reply.

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14. Minors Medical Service

The experience of a battle casualty in the Second World War was not radically different to that of the First World War. The most common injuries were caused by shells and bullets, and a casualty was evacuated through a similarly-organised chain of medical posts, dressing stations and hospitals. Medical services in the First and Second World War had to face enormous new problems: masses of wounded, most with devastating wounds from artillery splinters, often involving body cavities, and always contaminated. Tetanus, gas gangrene, wound infections were common and often fatal. Abdominal wounds were especially a problem: upon entering the war the commanders of all medical services ordered to avoid surgery, based on dismal experiences of previous wars. At the fighting fronts, specialist surgical facilities were closer to the front line and transport was by motor vehicle, sometimes even by air. Penicillin was developed into a mass-produced medicine, transforming the treatment of infection. Diseases were combatted more effectively, with DDT sprayed over large areas to lessen incidences of malaria and typhus amongst troops and civilians. Specialist treatment on the home fronts also improved, with more advances in plastic surgery and the treatment of burns. There was also a large Staging Area and Port of Embarkation nearby, and frequent visits to both places were made in order to learn about operations, transportation, and conservation of materiel and supplies. The medical personnel of the combat units include litter bearers with special training in first aid and the transportation of the wounded. All the medical personnel, including the litter bearers, carry on their belt a medical kit for first aid.

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15. Minors Scouts

The scout is particularly specialized in conducting special reconnaissance and terminal guidance operations, Joint Terminal Attack Controller operations and the terminal control of each source of fire against high-value targets. When a major attack was planned, the scouts were sometimes used to find hidden routes closer to the enemy and lead troops forward to open the battle with a surprise assault. The interwar period introduced the concept of cavalry reconnaissance units without horses. On the eve of World War II, almost all armies assumed that mechanized or motorized reconnaissance units needed to be light to move fast and gain information primarily through stealth. Most telling, light reconnaissance forces often could not survive to effectively use their speed and nimbleness. As the war progressed, organizations adjusted, and most armies became heavier, either in design, by fielding heavier equipment, or through habitual augmentation. The Scouts training used to start with basic ski training, with the emphasis on cross country work with the type of load that would have to be carried in action e.g., sleeping bag, rations for two or more days, and a rifle. This was followed by survival instruction—what to do and what not to do to exist and function in very cold conditions e.g., by digging snow holes in which to sleep, or erecting simple shelters from the virgin pine and spruce forests. Typically, men would spend three or four weeks at a mountain base. In that time, squadrons would practice their survival work in expeditions usually lasting about two or three days at a time, with the men sleeping in snow holes. At the end of the three or four weeks, the men would come down for a few days' rest and recreation. Training continued with work on river crossing, whether or not the individual soldiers could swim, and route marches.

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16. Minors Spoters

The artillery forward observer played a decisive part in the success of infantry. In the attack he accompanied the infantry, and was assisted by a radio operator. If the attack was stopped, the observer directed the attack for fire at the enemy's resistance points and was driving the infantry to the next assault. In static warfare, the observer ordered the destructive fire against the enemy and also the cover fire to help his own troops. He also directed the destructive fire against the enemy infantry that he was about to attack or that he was actually attacking. The results of this are shown not only in the effective cooperation between the two arms, but in the existence of a spirit of brotherhood in combat: the advanced artillery observer became the best friend of the infantry. A military artillery observer or spotter is responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire, mostly at opportunity targets, and may be a Forward Air Controller for close air support and spotter for naval gunfire support. Also known as "Forward Observer", "Fire Support Specialist", or "Fister". Most commonly observers accompany a tank or infantry manouvre unit. On land, artillery observers are considered high-priority targets by enemy forces, as they control a great amount of firepower, are within visual range of the enemy, and may be located within enemy territory. Because artillery is an indirect fire weapon system, the guns are rarely in line-of-sight of their target, often located miles away. The observer serves as the eyes of the guns, by sending target locations and if necessary, corrections to the fall of shot, usually by radio. Each battery command post converts the fire orders into firing data for its own guns. The "Fire for Effect", also called FFE, is the volume of fires delivered on a target to achieve the desired effect.

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17. Minors Leaders

Within the Minor Armies, both those who were aligned with the Axis and those who were part of the Allies, there was a wide range of leaders and non-commissioned officers but, generally speaking, competent leaders were scarcest where the fighting was the thickest. The major crisis was finding experienced officers and non-commissioned officers to command and train the influx of new recruits. As men showed promise, they were shuttled to new assignments to fill the gaps. War meant destroying the enemy’s main force, not clinging to territory. This new doctrine means that the commander states what he wants to achieve but leaves it up to his men how to go about it. The advantage of this way of operating is that it makes for speed, initiative, and flexibility, allowing the officer on the spot to adjust to the rapidly changing situation of the battlefield and to exploit sudden opportunities. In war, the army that proves most successful in making its raw recruits into killers possesses an immeasurable advantage, and this work is a special task of the leaders. For instance, better training for reservists would probably have improved some of the units’ chances of holding their ground or inflicting more casualties. Some officers may have been mediocre at the start of World War Two, but staff work became at least adequate after a poor start. They overall did what was asked of them, and performed as best as they could, given the critical circumstances they were facing. On the other hand, other factors, such as some units’ poor training, would unlikely have had a dramatic impact on the campaign if corrected. At the junior level most officers were as good as their allies, if usually not quite up to the best standards.

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18. Minors Axis Breda M30 LMG

This support weapon was frequently used by many Axis allied countries. The Breda M1930 light machine gun stemmed from several previous weapons, designed during 1920s by the Societa Italiana Ernesto Breda. In 1930, Breda produced a definitive pattern of its light machine gun line, the Modelo 1930. The Breda M1930 featured a conventional bipod rather than a light tripod, and dual spade grips were replaced with a rifle-type stock and a single pistol grip. This machine gun became the basic light machine gun of the Italian army and served throughout World War Two. The Breda M30 light machine gun is a short-recoil operated, air cooled, magazine fed weapon. The barrel can be quickly replaced in the field, using the integral carrying handle. Feed is from an integral box magazine, holding 20 rounds in two rows, and installed on the right side of the gun. During normal use the box magazine cannot be completely withdrawn or detached from the gun, so it cannot be lost, and no spare magazines are necessary. Loading is achieved by unlocking and swinging the magazine forward in the horizontal plane until its opening is exposed to the operator. Fresh cartridges then are loaded into the magazine using special 20-round U-shaped clips, which need to be pushed all the way into the magazine for loading, and then withdrawn manually. The firing controls include a convenient pistol grip with a traditional trigger, and a shoulder stock. The gun is fitted with a wooden stock with a hinged shoulder rest. Support is provided by a folding bipod, attached to the barrel casing, and by an optional rear monopod of adjustable height, which can be installed under the butt if required.

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19. Minors Allied FM 1924/29 LMG

This support weapon was frequently used by many countries aligned with the Allies. The Fusil-mitrailleur Modèle 1924 M29 was the standard light machine gun of the French Army from 1925 until the 1960s. It fires the French 7.5×54mm round. The Chatellerault FM Mle 1924-29 was the French military’s replacement for the 1915 Chauchat automatic rifle. After testing of all the major designs available (Madsen, BAR, Hotchkiss, Lewis and Berthier), the Chatellerault was designed with the best parts of the Hotchkiss and BAR. It fed from a 25-round magazine, with a deliberately slow 450 RPM rate of fire. The FM Mle 1924 entered production in late July 1925 and saw first operational use in Morocco in May 1926. It was immediately well-received and even favorably compared in performance with the much heavier Hotchkiss machine gun. However, problems created by the new 7.5mm ammunition did appear. In particular, 8×57mm Mauser ammunition which was used in captured Mauser rifles carried by auxiliaries in Morocco during the Rif War from 1920–26, could be chambered and fired with disastrous results. This situation led to the development of a slightly shorter 7.5×54mm round, which was retained in 1929 as the standard ammunition for all future rifles and light machine guns in French service. The FM 24/29 was the standard squad-level automatic weapon of the French infantry and cavalry at the start of World War II. After the French surrender in World War II, the Germans captured large quantities of this weapon, which they used operationally until the end of the war. From 1943 on, as the French army was re-equipped and reorganized in North Africa with Allied support, the FM 24/29 was kept in service, as French troops considered it superior to the Browning Automatic Rifle.