WWII Weapons

The primary weapon used by the WWII Scottish Rifleman in Northwest Europe was the Enfield bolt-action rifle, No.4 Mk.I. This fired .303 inch ammunition (Mk.VII), and was issued with a small spike bayonet, No.4 Mk.II being its designation. Out of a ten man rifle section, eight soldiers were equipped with this rifle. Its reliability and accuracy were renowned at the time, and it has earned its place in history as a very accurate and durable rifle. Ammunition for the Enfield rifle was carried in khaki cotton bandoliers, each of which held 50 rounds.

The automatic firepower of the section was in the form of the Bren Light Machine Gun, Mk.I. This weapon had a firing rate of about 400 to 500 rounds per minute, and it also fired the .303 inch ammunition (Mk.VII), identical to the ammunition used for the Enfield rifles. Ammunition was stored in magazines which held 28-30 rounds each. Each man in the rifle section would carry at least two magazines for the Bren.

The section leader, most often a Corporal, was equipped with a machine pistol, the Sten Machine Carbine. The Mk.II (pictured) was the most common in use at the time, although there were a few other variants issued to some soldiers. The Mk.III Sten was issued to many Scottish soldiers who fought in Northwest Europe. The Sten fired 9mm Parabellum ammunition at a rate of 540 rounds per minute. Ammunition magazines held 32 rounds each, though it was common to carry less in each magazine. This item was issued to officers and NCO's in most cases. Some soldiers, not content with the Sten, opted for the more accurate and reliable Enfield rifle which was less prone to jamming and misfires.

In addition to these weapons, some more specialized troops would have weapons such as the PIAT (Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank) which was an anti-tank weapon, the 2 or 3 inch mortar, for infantry support, and the Enfield No.2 Mk.II Service Revolver issued to officers. Since these items were not issued as abundantly as the Enfield No.4 Mk.I, the Bren Mk.I, and the Sten Mk.II or Mk.III, we have not gone into detail on these weapons on this website.