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OSS 'Marlins' Airdropped Into Europe WW2


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I have just finished reading a book titled, "Rearming the French', which is part of the official 'U.S. Army in World War 2' history series.

On page 307 is a table listing small arms and other supplies dropped into France by the OSS operation, based in London. The table is title, "Quantities of Equipment Packaged by OSS in the United Kingdom and Airdropped into France: January-October 1944". The table excludes equipment dropped into France by OSS Agiers.

 

Of interest is the following UD-M42 items, refered to as Marlin in the table.

 

Gun 9mm Marlin Submachinegun 2,405

Barrel Spare, Marlin 240

Magazine Assembly, Double, Marlin 4,800

Magazine Assembly, Single, Marlin 7,200

Magazine Pouch, Assembly, Single Marlin 1,400

Sling, Gun, Marlin,Submachinegun 2,400.

 

It is interesting that the table states supply was to France. I do not recall seeing any photos of French resistance fighters with UD M42's. I have seen pictures of Greek resistance fighters armed with UD M42's, often posing with British SAS troops.

 

Comments anyone?

 

Regards

 

AlanD

Sydney

 

 

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I have just finished reading a book titled, "Rearming the French', which is part of the official 'U.S. Army in World War 2' history series.

On page 307 is a table listing small arms and other supplies dropped into France by the OSS operation, based in London. The table is title, "Quantities of Equipment Packaged by OSS in the United Kingdom and Airdropped into France: January-October 1944". The table excludes equipment dropped into France by OSS Agiers.

 

Of interest is the following UD-M42 items, refered to as Marlin in the table.

 

Gun 9mm Marlin Submachinegun 2,405

Barrel Spare, Marlin 240

Magazine Assembly, Double, Marlin 4,800

Magazine Assembly, Single, Marlin 7,200

Magazine Pouch, Assembly, Single Marlin 1,400

Sling, Gun, Marlin,Submachinegun 2,400.

 

It is interesting that the table states supply was to France. I do not recall seeing any photos of French resistance fighters with UD M42's. I have seen pictures of Greek resistance fighters armed with UD M42's, often posing with British SAS troops.

 

Comments anyone?

 

Regards

 

AlanD

Sydney

 

Alan,

 

Good to hear from you again! I am not aware of any use of the UD-M42 by the French, but would not be surprised. I don't believe it was a weapon that they used for any significant length of time, or possibly in any official capacity, because it does not appear, that I recall, in any of the several French military small arms manuals in my collection. I will check upon my return home. The place I would check would be the index for Le Gazette des Armes. If the French used the weapon, I bet they've written about it in this magazine.

 

David Albert

Dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Alan,

 

I checked my French small arms manuals, and did not find anything about the UD-M42. I also checked the Gazette des Armes index, and found that Luc Guillou had a 2-part article published on the weapon. The article appeared in issues #302 and 303. I have corresponded many times with Luc, and he contributed to my article about Colt Thompsons in French Service that was published several years ago in Small Arms Review.

 

Article : Le pistolet mitrailleur UD 42 cal.9mm(1) Histoire et présentation

De L.Guillou - Paru dans le numéro : 302

 

Article : Le pistolet mitrailleur UD 42 (2) Marquages numérotations accessoires

De L.Guillou - Paru dans le numéro : 303

 

I have quite a few Gazette des Armes issues, and I'll check if I happen to have either one of these.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
Alan,

 

I checked my French small arms manuals, and did not find anything about the UD-M42. I also checked the Gazette des Armes index, and found that Luc Guillou had a 2-part article published on the weapon. The article appeared in issues #302 and 303. I have corresponded many times with Luc, and he contributed to my article about Colt Thompsons in French Service that was published several years ago in Small Arms Review.

 

Article : Le pistolet mitrailleur UD 42 cal.9mm(1) Histoire et présentation

De L.Guillou - Paru dans le numéro : 302

 

Article : Le pistolet mitrailleur UD 42 (2) Marquages numérotations accessoires

De L.Guillou - Paru dans le numéro : 303

 

I have quite a few Gazette des Armes issues, and I'll check if I happen to have either one of these.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

 

Alan,

 

It turns out that I do have Gazette des Armes issue number 302 (September 1999), and I'm going to try to get number 303, for the second part of Luc Guillou's article. He has 3 pictures of the UD-M42 in use by the French in the article. The first one is of a member of the French resistance, laying in cover in a barn, or other enclosure, observing the area in front of him with binoculars, with a UD-M42 laying in the hay beside him. The second one is of a particular French Resistance leader with a UD-M42 slung over his shoulder. The third is of truck full of resistance fighters, of whom one is riding shotgun with an M42. He also has some pictures of the use of the weapon in the Balkans.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

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David

 

How interesting! These would be the first pictures I am aware of featuring the UD42 in service with the French Resistence. You can be sure they would have seen action particullaly after June 6th 1944, when it was all on for young and old.

 

Good luck with tracking down issue 303.

 

Regards

 

AlanD

Sydney

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David

 

How interesting! These would be the first pictures I am aware of featuring the UD42 in service with the French Resistence. You can be sure they would have seen action particullaly after June 6th 1944, when it was all on for young and old.

 

Good luck with tracking down issue 303.

 

Regards

 

AlanD

Sydney

 

Alan,

 

Issue #303 is on the way to me from France, so I'll let you know what information it contains. I believe the article covers accessories, so it should be interesting to see which ones are documented.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

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  • 1 year later...

Stgw. 57,

 

My apologies for not following up on this last year. It took almost 2 months for the magazine to arrive, and I apparently got wrapped up in other things.

 

I can't say that there were any revelations in Gazette des Armes #303, which featured the second half of the UD-M42 article by Luc Guillou. The article shows UD-M42 receiver markings, as well as magazine markings, and a stock assembly mark. As far as accessories, it mentions that the Thompson oiler was used and stored in the buttstock, and that Thompson web pouches were used to carry UD-M42 magazines, in addition to some pouches that were "rigger" type ad hoc fashioned pouches. For slings, the article states that several were available to use on the UD-M42, and it does not mention any specifically designed for the arm. The author stated that he heard several accounts of a special 4-cell magazine pouch for the UD-M42, but was not able to find one to confirm its existence.

 

There are 3 photos featured in the article of the UD-M42 in use in WWII, 2 of which appear to be training photos. One shows 2 French resistance fighters sitting on the fenders of a car holding UD-M42's.

 

David Albert

dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

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  • 1 month later...

I was very lucky to find some accessories we discussed about for my UD M42!

 

A second double-mag

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9533_zps7abd64a6.jpg

 

 

A four cell mag pouch with 20rnd mags!

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9535_zpsdc1da543.jpg

 

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9536_zpsc9cebb12.jpg

 

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9537_zps17bfa4ef.jpg

 

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9542_zps12478b7d.jpg

 

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9541_zpseb7c0983.jpg

 

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9540_zps31b9e4fb.jpg

 

 

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w310/theholeinthedonut/Divers/Guns/IMG_9539_zps74ef15af.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
  • 10 months later...

Guys:

 

I have been reading the memoir of MG John Singlaub, "Hazardous Duty", published in 1991. Singlaub went on to have a great career in the Army but his first overseas assignment was with the OSS. In discussing his further training in the UK with SOE instructors he stated:

 

"The emphasis was on small unit combat. We fired a variety of Allied and German weapons every day, on courses with pop up targets. For my personal weapons I chose a Spanish Llama, which was a 9mm version of the US Army .45, and the UDT 9mm submachine gun. Both could fire German 9mm parabellum ammo. Our close combat instructor now was Major Bill Sykes, Fairbairn's partner."

 

The "UDT 9mm submachine gun" he mentions was, I think, the UD-M42. The book did not have any photos of the UD-M42 in OSS use but I can't think of any other 9mm SMG in use at the time that would have met this description.

 

Regards,

Charlie

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  • 1 year later...

An excellent reference to the UD-42 (some history as well as useage by the OSS) is a somewhat pricey book on OSS weapons. Now I can't remember the title! It is by Brenner or Brunner (a Ph.D.) who served in the OSS in China. Has good info on other OSS firearms (and gadgets), complete with source citations (mostly from NARA - the National Archives in College Park, MD). There have been a number of photos in various books of OSS personnel and resistance forces armed with the UD. The history of the weapon is kind of hazy to me (that is, WHAT was the history of the United Defense Corporation? The book is not very clear on that. Hope this helps!

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