Squad level firepower comparisons

[Brady]

Until fairly recently I would have been very sceptical of the SCR-536 in use by British units, even Airborne ones, but I have happened across a few references to the SCR-536 being earmarked to replace the No.38 set, at least in Air Landing Battalions. A post-war staff equipment table from Sep45 shows 50 SCR-536 for such a unit, plus 8 spare. The SCR-300 was also used by 6th Air Landing Brigade during Varsity, though not seemingly the SCR-536.

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/ra ... ost-921738

If they were used by a British unit they'd have to fulfil the same role as the No.38, so primarily Platoon to Rifle Company links, and probably 3-in mortar dets. I've not seen a contemporary figure for issues of wireless to Parachute or Air Landing Battalions sadly, so everything is supposition only.

Gary

Came across these:

[Brady]

One thing I don’t think we looked at, the use of shotguns, I know large numbers of them were used for training, and I’ve seen some rumors that have suggested that they were used in combat and the jungles in the southwest Pacific, but nothing concrete, I had thought that I had read someplace that there were conventions against their use in combat?

[Brady]

Recently I have been looking toward the pacific again, and I don't believe we touched to deeply on the Japanese.

Do we have a Break down for a Japanese IJA Rifle Platoon, as far as LMG, Knee mortar and other Weapons allotments?

Same for a Special naval Landing Force Platoon.

I think the Common view is that they were not as well equipped as their western counterparts, but from what I understand they were in many ways, apart from the knee mortars similarly equipped.

Another interesting observation might be that their section (squad) size was often larger than the US or British equivalence do in part to the 50 mm mortars being doled out to the sections as direct support.

[Eugen Pinak]

Recently I have been looking toward the pacific again, and I don't believe we touched to deeply on the Japanese.

Do we have a Break down for a Japanese IJA Rifle Platoon, as far as LMG, Knee mortar and other Weapons allotments?

IJA Platoon organization tread: viewtopic.php?f=65&t=195850

IJA Regiment organization tread: viewtopic.php?f=65&t=209125

Note, that IJA had no TOEs for the units below company, so in real life TOE organization was rather a guidance, not a set rule.

[Eugen Pinak]

Another interesting observation might be that their section (squad) size was often larger than the US or British equivalence do in part to the 50 mm mortars being doled out to the sections as direct support.

This was not prescribed in the manual, so it should be pretty rare thing.

[Brady]

Thanks

[Eugen Pinak]

Thanks

You are welcome. I don't have a lot of knowledge of IJA organizations, but may be able to answer some of your questions. Though Japanese members of the board definitely have more knowledge.