Dischargers, smoke generator, 4 inch

[horsa]

Nothing documented thus far but along that same line of thought...

The U.S. built T-16 Universal Carrier first went into production during 1943 and it had fittings for the Boys A/T rifle and a 4-inch smoke discharger. The example I used to own was built in Mar '44 and by that stage they had abandoned the Boys fittings in favor of mounts for the PIAT but it retained the 4-inch smoke discharger. Sometime just after that time they began producing the vehicle with fittings for the 2-inch mortar which served as a smoke thrower. We've seen production vehicles from Jun '44 built this way but don't know when the actual transition occurred but it was sometime between March and June of 1944 in this vehicle's case.

Being built by Ford in the U.S.A., it probably took longer for a change request to be processed so I'd imagine the mortar was approved sometime in mid-1943 for UK and Commonwealth vehicles.

[Michael R.]

At the risk of venturing slightly off topic ... Nigel Watson published images of universal carriers under operational conditions c. 1945 NWE equipped with Boys rifles. "still in the system", ... but perhaps a modified role.

See "Universal Carriers, Volume II", page 48. Two MK-III carriers, the lead carrier mounting a Boys ATR through the upper folding door of the gunner's loop hole swinging plate. April, 1945.

The Windsor carrier was not equipped with the 4" smoke discharger bracket. The engine deck has a simple stowage bracket for an "Ordnance M.L. 2 in Mortar". The sample shown in the stowage diagrams indicates it was not designed to be mounted and fired from a purpose built bracket as we have seen on the MK-I U.C., production MK-II U.C., and T16 series. We are expecting to see details of the elusive welded hull MK-III* (Ford Canada) shortly.

[horsa]

In terms of my T-16 post, I was referring to new production vehicles and that they transitioned how they would leave the factory over time. No doubt my former carrier would have had the 4-inch until the end of the war and never been converted for a 2-inch mortar. The troops in the field would have kept and used whatever they had since obsolete didn't move to the obsolescent category until after hostilities were over.

And Nigel's three book series is an excellent photographic study of the carriers and kit

Image attached in my live 4-inch which didn't go with the carrier since its an ATF registered short-barrel rifle here in the States.

[Jordan Baker]

Found this small clip from the movie The Red Berets. At the 1:15hr mark there is a scene where the paras are covering their withdrawl with smoke using these generators.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwNsJ7BnfEM

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Michael R.

At the risk of venturing slightly off topic ... Nigel Watson published images of universal carriers under operational conditions c. 1945 NWE equipped with Boys rifles. "still in the system", ... but perhaps a modified role.

More likely just down to inertia/bureaucracy. My father was at one point the wireless operator/gunner in a Morris LRC during the Italian campaign - they were issued with the Boys even though it was useless against anything armoured they were likely to encounter. As a result it was transferred to the unit's cook (who was extremely short and looked somewhat ridiculous on parade with it).

Chris.