"British Motor Companies (44/45)" Topic

Hi, couple of quick and fairly basic questions..
At company level the British deploy a pair of 3" mortars are these the left overs of the the 3" mortar platoon or an add on?

PIAT's is there only one at platoon HQ or like early war Boys (American bazookas) held in the M3/1500cwt ? If only held at platoon level how were the British to deal with armour?

thanks
jon

The Motor Bn never had a 3-in Mortar Pl in any of its various incarnations. A single 3-in mortar was originally added to each Motor Coy via an amendment in late 1941 and incorporated into the North African/Middle East organisation. This was increased to a pair of weapons with the model used in NWE.

The Motor Coy had eight PIATs (one per Motor Pl, three in the Scout Pl, one with the Mortar det and one with the Admin vehicles). The Motor Bn also had twelve towed 6-pr atk guns, so a Motor Coy could usually expect a Pl of four guns to be attached to it for more substantial atk defence.

Gary

What Gary said above.

The early motor battalions seem to have been pretty lightly equipped with support weapons, perhaps the idea was that the tanks that they were cooperating with would provide enough firepower.

The late war motor battalion support company on the other hand was pretty impressive, packing not only the previously mentioned 12 anti-tank guns but also 8 Vickers MGs (of which ordinary infantry battalion had none as integral assets, instead relying on platoons attached from the divisional MG battalion).

Yes, I've always assumed the absence of mortars and towed atk guns in the early war period was based on the presumption that the accompanying cruiser tanks would provide support with their 2-pr guns and CS howitzers. Or I might have read it somewhere too!

Gary