Belgian Boys anti tank rifle

[daveh]

http://www-solar.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/~aaro ... /belg.html
includes a note at the bottom to the effect that

From 1940 1 in 6 battalions get 1 Boys AT rifle per platoon

.

I have no reference to any Belgian unit receiving any Boys AT rifles. I am correct in believing the Belgians planned to purchase the Boys AT rifle but never actually obtained any?

[nuyt]

interesting, it also says this at the Rifle Coy:
Notes: Approx. 1 in 6 companies had 1 UK supplied ATR with 2 crew

Now is there a trend? Belgium had
- 3,7inch AA
- possibly 2pdrs
- planned Boys ATR
What's next?
Well, there is a picture in a book by J Champagne showing a drawing of what seems to be a Vickers MK6 light tank as "the light tank ordered by Belgium" with Vickers in 1939-40.

[Ardee]

I pursued the same question on a Belgian forum (ABBL 1914-1940), and the answer was a strong "no Boys ATR ever received." Interestingly, the same sort of situation seems to have occurred with the French: several sites/OoB list some French units with the Boys, but few-if-any seem to have actually been received before the "Fall."

[JBbelgium]

I don't know if anyone is still reading this but anyway. I have read that the French gave 25mm AT-guns to the BEF as regimental AT-guns. They were short on AT-weapons. The British gave some Boys AT-rifles in return. I don't know if those rifles were used though.

[daveh]

If it says Belgium/Belgian I'll read it!
daveh

[daveh]

The publication Militaria Belgica 2007-2008 mentions the British offering 104 anti tank guns to the Force Publique in 1942. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_Publ ... rld_War_II)
Perhaps this is the solution as to where the idea that the Belgians had Boys A T rifles came from.

[Knouterer]

Or perhaps there is some confusion with Belgian troops in Britain (Brigade Piron) who presumably were issued Boys. Regarding the French Boys rifles, according to Stéphane Ferrard, France 1940 - L'Armement Terrestre 1940, p. 91, a few dozen ("quelques dizaines") were received in exchange for 25 mm AT guns. These went to some divisional reconnaissance units (GRDI) and also to the two parachutist companies (infanterie de l'air).