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British Military Service Life of the P.I.A.T.


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I just acquired an October 1942 dated British PIAT manual, and am intrigued by a stamped date mark on the cover of 1965. I thought the PIAT was a short-lived launcher used only in WWII. I looked online, and found one reference that indicates its service life was from 1942 to 1950. Does anyone here have any personal experience with the PIAT in the British or Canadian military?

 

The marking on the cover is as follows:

 

I. ARM/WEAPONS DIVN.

30 MAR 1965

A. 75 ROYAL ARSENAL

 

Is this a unit marking, or was it perhaps marked when the manual went with a PIAT to a military museum or depot?

 

http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Misc/PIAT_Manual_Web.JPG

 

I thought I'd share some of the illustrations from within. One funny thing is that the manual includes an amendment indicating the illustration of the PIAT being fired in the prone position was to be deleted. It has a line drawn through it. I guess the PIAT was pretty tough on the shoulder...

 

http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Misc/PIAT_Manual_Inside5_Web.JPG

 

http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Misc/PIAT_Manual_Inside6_Web.JPG

 

http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Misc/PIAT_Manual_Inside3_Web.JPG

 

http://www.sturmgewehr.com/dalbert/Misc/PIAT_Manual_Inside4_Web.JPG

 

Any thoughts or personal accounts in regards to this weapon are appreciated.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

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I think the date stamp will refer to the date the booklet was placed in the library. If you look at the foot of the back cover or last page, in small print should be the name of the printer, date of printing (month/year) and the number of copies printed.I will go out on a limb and say the date will be 1944.

 

I don't think the P.I.A.T. was in use much after the late 1940's with American Bazookas being used and from the mid-sixties the Carl Gustav 84mm, or 'Charlie Gee' as it was known in British service.

 

Regards

 

AlanD

Sydney

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Very nice, very rare manual. It may have replaced in 1943 by this one. Yours shows the earliest version with the non adjustable momopod. Here is the 1943 version of the manual showing adjustable monopod and indirect sights as well as direct.

 

Do you mind looking to see if your manual shows indirect sights?

 

edited, not sure if it was replaced or supplemented by this one. Yours has much better detail.

 

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_17824.JPG

 

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/IMG_17833.JPG

Edited by copdoc
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  • 2 months later...

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