Anti-Tank Chats #3 | Boys Anti Tank Rifle | The Tank Museum

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Join Archive and Supporting Collections Manager, Stuart Wheeler with his next instalment of Anti- Tank Chats on the "Boys Anti-tank Rifle". It was a British anti-tank rifle in use during the Second World War.
00:00 - Intro
00:23 - Creation of the Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
4:43 - Features of the Rifle
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[@thetankmuseum]

Hello, Tank Nuts! Here is your latest instalment of Anti-Tank Chats, let us know what you thought of it.

[@gusgone4527]

Great video, shame you do not have footage of it on the range.

[@aferguson850]

Love this series, keep it coming!

[@vanvan-oc4nj]

Yeah, good vid ! First thought, you were going to fulminate tanks, well anti-tank chats.... (well, right, war is not good, but history on tanks is !)

[@USS_Grey_Ghost]

It is a .55 caliber which is considered a super destructive device here in the USA and you need a special permit to own

[@DIEGhostfish]

I love this format, it's a great counterpoint.

[@martincarolpiper9964]

My father and his unit had a Boys Anti Tank Rifle issued and they lugged it all round Persia apparently (Royal Signals P.A.I. Force) until they got bored and one day just ended up going into the hills to expend some ammunition, they blew up rocks and trees etc with great glee and abandon. unknown to them though was that there was an American base in a valley the other side of the hill they were firing on and some rounds went over the hill and exploded down in the valley below giving the Americans a "bit of a turn" the first my dad and his mates knew was when they were surrounded by very annoyed Americans who marched them down to the American camp. They were held until a British Top Brass turned up and were then escorted into the American commanders office where they were told off in no uncertain terms by the American Officer (luckily no one had been hurt) The British Top Brass told the Americans that he would take them away and deal with them in the harshest terms! Dad and his mates by now were absolutely bricking it. Eventually they were all loaded into the back of a lorry and taken back to their own camp. The British officer had his own car and followed them. Dad said one of his mates was looking out the back of the lorry and could see that the car that had the British officer was following the lorry but seemed to be swerving all over the road a bit. They got back and they all stood waiting for their fate to be revealed and the officer stood in front of them frowning... he then started giggling and said "Men, I said I would deal with you and deal with you I must. Then laughing out loud he said "Now, don't do that again, the Americans would run out of medals to give each other" and just walked off laughing. Dad and his friend never heard anything more about it other than a small reprimand for ammunition expenditure.

[@Fantax92]

That was a funny one, thank you for sharing

[@roybennett9284]

I imagine you would read something like that in a copy of spike Milligans war time memories.. thanks made my day.

[@korbell1089]

It's really interesting how WW2 compressed the time for development of technology and vehicles. 1939:".55 inch round is good enough." 1944:"17pounder round is good enough."

[@JeanLucCaptain]

17 pdr could tank out almost anything at pretty solid range.

[@TalonAshlar]

The US armies own development doctrine states that a normal development cycle is 5-8 years however in case of "emergency need" the development time is 1- 1.6 years

[@robtt997]

I used to talk to a chap at work who had been with the Green Howard’s at Dunkirk. He was a sergeant and their last positions were outside the town with orders to hold the Germans as long as they could . No retreat to the boats for them! A panzer was coming down a road towards them and the private ,with the Boys rifle ,was tasked with taking it on . They all knew it was pretty suicidal .So the private ran to the road and started to aim at the tank . But he got no further and was immediately killed by the main tank gun. Frank told me there was nothing left of the poor chap. Frank was amazed at what he did as there was no order to run to the road and he could have fired from cover. He thought he wanted a clear shot hence what he did. Frank survived and spent the rest of the war in captivity. He ended up in the winter March from Poland ( where his camp had been) back to the German border . He said the weirdest thing was that they helped German women and children on the March as they were fearful of falling into Russian hands. Such is war

[@chamberpot969]

God bless him.

[@docastrov9013]

And then people wonder how so many Nazis escaped justice.

[@ray.shoesmith]

Shoutout to Ben O'Brien, who's father Cpl Jack O'Brien was awarded the DSC for taking out 2 Japanese Type 95 Ha- Go tanks with a Boys anti-tank rifle at Milne Bay PNG in 1942 during the first defeat of Japanese land forces in WW2

[@aussiviking604]

He also killed 18 Japanese imperial marines with a posthole shovel, in a savage night action. Both sides had run out of ammunition. Jack was good mates with my grandfather.

[@ericgrace9995]

@@aussiviking604 Good to hear your grandfather was his mate. People he disliked didn't seem to survive long !

[@DIEGhostfish]

@@aussiviking604 Shovel>Katana

[@aussiviking604]

@@DIEGhostfish Posthole shovel wins.

[@aussiviking604]

@@ericgrace9995 Sounds like Jack.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

The last recorded use of the Boys Anti Tank Rifle was by the IRA crippling one of the fast patrol boat HMS Brave Borderers turbine engines in 1965. The IRA was able to get two shots off before the boat was able to get out of range. Showing the accuracy of the rifle that both shots also hit the vessel.

[@MrTangolizard]

It’s also amazing they actually got 2 shots off they normally fired once dropped there rifles got arrested then informed on there mates

[@ruicastro3698]

@@MrTangolizard more amaizing is supporting a war againt a major nation on their doorstep and fighting for what they belive in

[@logoseven3365]

I thought that was a Barrett

[@MrTangolizard]

@@ruicastro3698 yeah if you believe in trying to force your view onto the majority of the population who wish to remain British by bombing children, also you show your compleat and utter lack of knowledge on the subject, how is it on there doorstep it wasn’t Ireland v the UK the Republic of Ireland chucked the IRA out of Ireland long ago it was a terrorist organisation within the UK murdering British civilians because they didn’t agree with the right to self determination might I suggest you have a little read up on the subject before spouting crud all over the internet

[@ruicastro3698]

@@MrTangolizard they have support from the ppl that live in nothern ireland otherwise they wouldnt have so many volunteers ... or murals painted on walls and the referedum that was held 1973 i supose thats what you are basing your view of the "majority of people" was held by britain ... and the vote was to leave the uk not unite ireland ... if ireland is its own contry Northen ireland should be apart of it..

[@LazyLifeIFreak]

While in the role of anti-tank, the boys Anti-Tank rifle might have been quickly superseded by the PIAT, there is still a usage even today for a large bore rifle in the role of anti-material, such as disposing of unexploded ordinance, IED's, light skinned armor and fortifications. The gun didn't go away, it changed roles.

[@brittakriep2938]

Formerly known as ,wallgun.

[@TheArklyte]

Funnily enough, anti-tank rifle didn't vanish as a role either. It can still be used to immobilize, cripple, blind and disarm actual modern MBTs. Optics, tracks, APS, RWS and so on are all vulnerable to 14.5*114mm round. So it can be used to slowly cripple tank and make it vulnerable to HEAT projectiles of older generations.

[@jakobc.2558]

Or shooting at german halftracks. If you shoot threw the front while it is carrying infantry you may get a 6 nazis in one shot.

[@gusgone4527]

@@TheArklyte Necessity being the mother of invention. Soldiers will adapt and use anything available to win. Creativity oft separates victors from the vanquished. That said, applying the principles of good marksmanship in the face of an advancing tank battalion, must not be easy. When ones ring piece is desperately trying to devour ones trousers. Taking on a tank with a bolt action rifle being true measure of testicular fortitude.

[@TheArklyte]

@@gusgone4527 the example I mentioned implies urban environment where during combat rifle can be somewhat hidden for some time while a shot with RPG/ATGM is seen by everyone.

[@grumpyboomer61]

I'll bet that the lightweight Airborne version was a joy to fire.

[@tacomas9602]

I wonder how much buttpad it would need to be non lethal to my shoulder. Jesus. I'm a tough farm kid but anything past my M1903 with heavy ball is going to destroy it more. Would be a great LOLs piece.

[@itsonlyafleshwound9024]

Good shot soldier! Now go retrieve your shoulder.

[@mcmoose64]

The great grand children of the gunners were born with a flinch !

[@ianpattison841]

My father served with the 25th Indian division in the Arakan, Burma, I remember he told me they lugged a bloody Boys around for a few weeks before it miraculously fell in to the Mayu river where presumably it still resides.🤣

[@klackon1]

My dad was an infantry sgt during WWII and he was not a fan of the Boys anti tank rifle. He reckoned it had quite a nasty kick, though Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons, reckoned it wasn't too bad when he put a few rounds through one. As for the T Gewehr, in 1984 I was invited into a farmer's house and strapped to a beam in the kitched was a T Gewehr. I was amazed and made a comment. He told me I was the first person able to tell him what it was, as he had no idea. Another chap I knew, who lived a few miles from the owner of the T Gewehr, was a part time firearms dealer. He owned an MG 42 that he had converted to single shot and he used it for shooting deer. Not bad, considering the MG 42 was originally automatic only.

[@martiniv8924]

My Dad used a Boys AT rifle in North Africa, he said it had quite an effect on Italian Tanks , but not the Panzers, although he said in the field , anything that could be found to support the recoil rather than a shoulder, sand bags, vehicles etc. was found !, it wasn’t very popular

[@andrewbellavie795]

I cant imagine shooting that gun all day, the 30lb recoil would be murder

[@jtfoto1]

I remember my father stating what a brute of a thing it was to shoot. He always had admiration for one of his mates in North Africa who took out 13 light Italian vehicles with his Boys. He reckoned his shoulder must have been stronger than his targets.

[@ThePerfectRed]

I always wonder why it is not stressed more how effective antitank rifles would be against halftracks, which were used by all sides in large numbers throughout the war.

[@henrypollock7987]

Having one on every 5th halftrack would have been handy i reckon if they came up agaisnt other mechanized infantry

[@aizseeker3622]

Every US half-track armed with M2 50 cal as standard

[@EstellammaSS]

Half-tracks are actually very rare on the battlefield. The Soviet who are the biggest user of AT rifles used PTRS/Ds mostly due to the lack of more effective forms of AntiTank and ditched them rather quickly after they got the RPG series working since they’re both more powerful and lighter.

[@GarioTheRock]

I've been around the world, heard people who don't even speak English calling .50 "Fifty calibre," this is the first time in my life I hear someone call it "point five zero". Fascinating. As is the Boys of course.

[@laurenceneal4429]

Not totally useless, my uncle Christopher Wilson won the MM at the battle of Arras using this weapon.

[@spazmonkey2131]

What are the details dont leave us hanging

[@laurenceneal4429]

How do you add a photo on here?

[@spazmonkey2131]

@@laurenceneal4429 try sending a link

[@laurenceneal4429]

@@spazmonkey2131 I have a photo of a newspaper item on this but can’t paste it on here. Send a link where?

[@spazmonkey2131]

@@laurenceneal4429 try posting on reddit or discord and then putting the link on youtube

[@jorelemes]

David Lloyd Owen, member of the Long Range Desert Group during WW2, when listing the equipment of the LRDG patrols in his book, gave this hilarious remark: "(...) four Boys anti-tank rifles (a more useless military weapon has never been invented, either before or since)"

[@chuckw1113]

Interestingly, the Boys was also credited with shooting down a Kawanishi H8K Emily flying boat during the US Marine raid on Makin Island in 1942. The Marine Raider battalion had a number of Boys antitank rifles, and a few were carried by the detachment of 2nd Raider Battalion that conducted the raid. When the Japanese attempted to ferry additional troops to the island using an Emily squadron the first two, attempting to land were fired and one shot down.

[@longrider42]

Good on you for mentioning that little bit of unknown history, well unknown by many. But I've known abut it for some time.

[@philipinchina]

My father was a member of the Home Guard. They were issued with a Boys. One idiot fired it from a trench and braced his shoulder against the earhwork, thus taking the full recoil on his shoulder with nowhere to go. Needless to say it broke his shoulder very severely and he never used his right arm again. Even as a very young man dad realised that it was pretty well useless and was given to them because the regular army had no use for them.

[@cmdredstrakerofshado1159]

I had read that one of the derisive nick names for the Boys was the "Dislocater" for all the shoulders injured firing the Boys. Usually dislocating the shoulders of the soldiers did not read the manual a listen to the warnings on how to properly shoot and handle the recoil from the Boys rifle.

[@roosterbooster6238]

In battlefield V you can shoulder and hip fire this beast. 0/10 for accuracy

[@marksellers4875]

I actually fired 5 rounds from one of these beauties back in 1982. A fellow showed up at the range with one. He was too timid to fire it himself. He asked if I'd like to try it. The bolt ran smooth as a Krag, recoil was stout, but not as bad as the muzzle blast from the harmonica break. Accuracy was superb! 3 of 5 rounds touching at 100 yards. Total group size was 2 &3/4 inches. One the owner saw I wasn't damaged by the rifle, he shot it himself. And promptly offfered it for sale. $5000. I'd love to have bought it, but I didn't have the " destructive device" license needed at the time, and I needed both kidneys...

[@mikebrase5161]

I met a US Marine Raider who served under Col. Edson on Guadalcanal. He had been trained on the Boys. The Marine Raiders were the only US unit to use them to my knowledge.

[@Daemascus]

I have fired a Boys, rechambered in .50, and wow it's a wild ride. You feel it later for sure

[@tomyorke3412]

Dont forget about the US marines raiders who took 2 of these and shot down a landing sea plane with them. The boys was effective on Japanese tanks throughout the war also

[@longrider42]

I was hoping some one would mention that.

[@laurenceneal4429]

As an attack was expected in the west, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was sent to France in September 1939 to take up positions on the Belgian Frontier to the north of the French armies. Christopher Wilson and his Unit went to join the BEF, disembarking in France on January 20th 1940. The Germans swept all before them and the BEF retreated northwards towards the French coast. At Arras the British counterattacked and temporarily stopped the German advance. Here on May 21st Chris won the Military Medal, the citation reads, “Fusilier Wilson showed great coolness in action on 21 May 1940 when, although outflanked by enemy tanks, he continued to fire his Anti-Tank rifle until his ammunition was exhausted, thereby covering the withdrawal of his platoon.” The local paper was a little more forthcoming; under the headline, “Fired Anti-Tank Gun Till It Burst,” the paper reported as follows. “A 20-year old Fourstones soldier, who has been awarded the Military Medal, is reported to have put two enemy tanks out of action and fired his anti-tank gun until it burst. He is Fusilier Christopher Wilson, R.N.F., son of Mrs. Annie Wilson and the late Mr. Wilson, of Frankham Cottages, and he has won his award for conspicuous bravery in action at Arras on May 21. In a letter to Wilson’s mother his Company Sergeant Major writes;- ‘You ask me what Chris did for his medal. Well, he did lots of things at various places! Although I was not at Arras when he won it, I know he did exceptionally well with the anti-tank gun. In fact, I heard he put two tanks out of action, and he fired the gun until it burst.’ At Vimy ridge and Ypres he was always at the front and as cheerful as could be. Nothing seemed to worry him. If ever I’d seen a medal won, he deserves every bit of his.’ Last to Leave. Wilson has recently been home on 48 hours leave, and was welcomed on his return to his unit with the news of the award. His version of the episode is that he stuck to his anti-tank gun and kept the tanks at bay until his comrades got away. ‘I myself was the last to leave the spot, after my gun had been broken by shell-fire,’ he writes in a letter home.”

[@OldschoolHIT360]

Thank you for sharing

[@glennsinclair3891]

In the late '50's I was in the Reserves. My Battery Commander, Major Banting was a lieutenant in 1939, (went to full colonel in 1945) and told us one of his men fired a Boys from the shoulder. It whipped him right around.

[@roybennett9284]

In Russell Brandon's book "the naked island" about his Maula war experience,and capture by the Japanese..he tell of snipering with a boy's rilfe, with the gun positioned on his back, while his mate knocked the sniper through the tree.

[@dukkha62]

My father used the Boys a/tank rifle in his basic training and could only recall its brutal recoil slamming against his right shoulder. He told me it required a two man team with one man firing and the other lying diagonally across him to lessen the recoil. Even a Universal (Bren) Carrier rocked violently when a Boys was fired from the front Bren mounting.

[@leighrate]

Pity they didn't have a true sabot round for it. That would have drastically increased its effectivenes.

[@mikebrase5161]

Probably has more to do with a lack of tungsten.

[@captiannemo1587]

sabot and taperbore exist for this thing...

[@lionellloyd9003]

The boys was used to great effect in new Guinea against Japanese snipers behind large hardwood trees. They did have there uses.

[@alastairbarkley6572]

Reports of the time estimated that more than 4,000 of these AT rifles were left behind by the BEF in 1940. Those reports also mention that BEF soldiers were generally not attacked by tanks at all - or, at the worst, by light Pz 1 and 2. Mostly the British soldiers mention armoured cars, soft-skin vehicles and combination motorcycles, against all of which - as an anti-material kinetic weapon - the Boys performed to their satisfaction (and sometimes, delight). The war went on for five years during which, at least at the earliest stages, the Boys was far from useless.

[@polygondwanaland8390]

Did Germany ever put those 4000 guns into service? They took pretty much everything else the British left.

[@andrewblake2254]

@@polygondwanaland8390 well they would have needed the correct ammunition even if they did think they were worth the trouble.

[@88porpoise]

@@polygondwanaland8390 The Germans user basically everything they captured. But this sort of thing would likely be kept in some reserve or training unit rather than going to the front lines due to low numbers and availability of ammunition. They may have also shipped them off to the Finns who already had some of them. A quick search can't find any details on Germans using the Panzerabwehrbuchse 782(e). But that doesn't mean they weren't used.

[@Cancun771]

Kudos for modeling the correct pronunciation of "Panzerbüchse" to the viewers. It is a very difficult word that takes an effort to get right for English speakers.

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

well it is not correct, but ALOT better than the last try.

[@Bird_Dog00]

Well, it isn't realy correct, but better than many others. It seems to me, native english speakers generaly find german words difficult to pronounce.

[@MisteriosGloriosos922]

*Thanks for letting us know, well done!!*

[@KMac329]

A well-documented and interesting presentation. The Tank Museum is extraordinarily consistent in that way.

[@BHuang92]

Fun Fact: The reputation of the Boys Anti-tank Rifle was diminished after the Battle of France which the Department of National Defense commissioned Walt Disney Studios a training video called, Stop that Tank! The film was effective in countering the gun's "jinxed" reputation.

[@Paciat]

And it was diminished again as soon as any 0,5cal MG with AP ammo appeared on the battlefield. The reputation of whole British and French army was diminished. And rightly so. Under equipped and not fully mobilized Poles made a bigger counter offensive at Bzura than western armies at Arras.

[@phunkracy]

The bad reputation was well deserved. It was far inferior to Polish, Soviet and Finnish AT rifles.

[@richpurslow3283]

@@Paciat couldn't disagree more. The armies of the French and British were effective, France fell through a daring attack by the Germans which very nearly didn't work. It was only through the bungling of french command that it did. The Polish were very brave and decent fighting men however they didnt fare anybetter than France.

[@breembo]

Would have been a godsend had the boys showed up during the spanish civil war in any numbers.

[@skepticalbadger]

It's literally the first thing covered in the video. Also, you've contradicted yourself - was its reputation diminished or countered?

[@rigel1632]

Could listen to Stuart all day long. Really enjoyed his infantry anti armour talk at Tankfest this year comparing the different systems.

[@gusgone4527]

Given the ongoing success of the AIAW50 L121A1 and other 50cal single shot rifles. I'm surprised that the Boys did not give rise to a similar long range antimaterial system for WWII. Surely in North Africa snipers could have made use of it. One well placed hit on an 88mm tank killing artillery piece (recoil cylinders) would have been a worthwhile endeavour. Much appreciated by tank crews.

[@gustavlicht9620]

Would it be realistic to hit such a small piece accurately? Tank as a whole is a big target.

[@aizseeker3622]

Also the WW2 optic not great compared to modern ones

[@gusgone4527]

@@gustavlicht9620 Have you seen the size of the recoil cylinders on an 88. The average WW2 sniper would have had little difficulty at 600 yards with his "breathed on" SMLE. So at the same range with an antimaterial rifle for the times. Why not? Even as far back as WW1 snipers were targeting vision ports in tanks. Very small targets.

[@gusgone4527]

@@aizseeker3622 Good point. The German optics were far better than the allies Leica/Lietz-1869, Shneider-1913 etc. I think the Japanese optics were better too but not 100% sure on that point. Nikon, Cannon and Yashica were around then too. However, snipers on the allied side had scopes on their rifles. If it worked for .303 it should work on ...

[@lqr824]

@@gusgone4527 I know the Yamato had Nikon rangefinders

[@Thatworldeatersguy]

Very very happy about these videos ! Man packed AT weapons is something that I have always been interested in learning more about and especially its role against tanks and armoured vehicles😁

[@rrobb9853]

An assured performance from Mr Wheeler. Thank you for the video. I look forward to more.

[@jonathanferguson1211]

The penny depressor mentioned in the manual (which explains this) was not there to rectify feed issues. It was a way to permit training without ammunition. The same was done with the SLR and is still done with SA80.

[@tabletopminiatures7139]

GREAT Video, thanks for making it!

[@MyTurtleCollab]

Really enjoying this series!

[@TukikoTroy]

I kinda remember being told that operators of the Boys were told to fire at the tracks to immobilise a tank.

[@pedrorusso985]

Yes! I love this. Please keep making them! You guys are an example to be inspired by!

[@zulubeatz1]

Must have the most bizzare looking muzzle break ever. It's a work of art

[@yellowmonkee0]

You need to create the anti-tank museum.

[@davepeters4955]

"issued to the company drunk" says a lot about what the soldiers thought about it.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

The 1930’s equivalent of the Crow Cannon… :)

[@Chiller01]

There was only one company drunk?

[@davepeters4955]

@@Chiller01 The cream always rises to the top.

[@JeanLucCaptain]

probably they had more issues with the weight and awkwardness than its ability to damage light AFVs. I can see this being quite useful in a defensive battle but on the attack, this thing would be dead weight for dismounted infantry.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

@@JeanLucCaptain it can’t be that heavy - if it was heavy the Army would have put wheels on it* * As said by every NCO whenever a soldier complains about the weight of a bit of kit…

[@cliffordnelson8454]

Glad to see you continued this series. I really liked the first empisode, and you never get anything like what is presented here. Tanks yes, but seldom at guns

[@The3Lego3Freak]

Great content 👍 love the the tank museum

[@tunazzz__677]

Nothing better than spending the day than Me and The Boys Anti-Tank Rifle :)

[@anumeon]

♪♪♪ If you hear any noise, it's just me and the Boys.

[@TheArklyte]

Imagine if Vickers instead adopted long cased 12.7*120mm when choosing the cartridge that would become British .50? Then converted Boys .55 would be similar to 14.5*114 and Czech/British 15mm BESA rounds. Ie it would punch through 40+mm of RHS back when it mattered the most.

[@jari2018]

Swedes had the 20mm recoiess rifle and it did also 40mm of armour. Anyway Boys did 16mm just the amount of the ww1 tanks armour ,guess they had the right thoughts but still failed

[@jimfrodsham7938]

I fired one of these in the CCF in the late '50's, considering our weapon was the Lee Enfield .303 I was surprised it nearly broke my bloody shoulder.

[@martinhogg5337]

Interesting chat, thank you!

[@jameswade6641]

This is a great series of videos.

[@Andy-qo6rq]

The boys anti tank rifle ( more like a cannon) was used in Syria in the recent conflict it was used as a sniper rifle and fired at soft skin vehicles not on anything with armour. 👍

[@havareriksen1004]

The British Expeditionary Force brought the Boys AT rifle with them on their campaign in Norway during the german invasion in April 1940. Troops armed with the Boys rifle engaged and disabled several Panzer 1 and Panzer 2 with it, so it proved it's worth that early in the war.

[@jrdougan]

Every time I read about this rifle, my brain always wants to call it "the Boy's Own Anti-Tank Rifle".

[@kirbyculp3449]

Boyzone

[@jingojango9220]

Very much enjoyed this video :)

[@johnfisk811]

I have been told by a couple of chaps who were there, that in 1945 they were asking for their reissue for precision use against dug in German positions from a distance beyond that of a PIAT’s range.

[@kommissarkillemall2848]

i suppose it soldiered on so long because even when it was inadequate against later tanks, it could still ruin the day of someone driving something less armoured. An Sd.Kfz 251 would be a liable target, as the Boyds can penn. the drivers-sight and the protectionshield from the mg. ( according to the numbers atleast..). Maybe not ideal, but it gives you something to discourage a Pz.Gren counterattack..🙂

[@carsonm7292]

It was also used as an anti-fortification weapon, as the heavy round created a splintering/shrapnel effect when fired through stonework.

[@jameswhite153]

you could also blow the tracks and wheels off

[@demonprinces17]

The Brits were known to be cheap, weren't going to get rid of anything

[@zaphodbeeblebrox9109]

@@demonprinces17 sources please. This is pure conjecture

[@demonprinces17]

@@zaphodbeeblebrox9109 Anything to do with the British army, still used WW1 lewis guns, troops complaints on how hard it has to get replacement boots, their pay

[@minuteman4199]

I imagine that one round out of that thing would leave the shooter and anyone close by stone deaf.

[@marrs1013]

He is back! Hooraaay!

[@breembo]

Glad you guys are doing anti tank systems. Its an area void of content that I am happy is being filled.

[@Caratacus1]

Ah a blessed relief. A video from a War Museum that actually knows about its subject and wants to impart that knowledge, nothing more. Great vid TTM. You restore my faith in the Museum industry.

[@mikemillhouse4436]

For many years we gathered north of Lawrence, Kansas on the 4th of July. Among the various weapons we had the opportunity to fire, was a Boys rechambered for .50 BMG ammunition. It is a large, but fairly elegant design. Several times I fired it standing offhand. Why? Because we could.

[@kirbyculp3449]

In the USA one could buy the Boys anti-tank rifle, BY MAIL, into the early 1960s. I had back issues of the American Rifleman magazine. According to ads, the price at the time was $57.00 USD.

[@roguespearsf]

I was anti-tank Infantry, though I joined in 2004 after they consolidated all 11 series MOSs (Hotels, Mikes, etc) into just Bravos and Charlies or else I'd have been 11H.

[@binaway]

My dad operated one in Norway, 1940. He thought they were useless. After evacuation to Glasgow he never saw one again. His word- How could you shoot the tracks off a moving tank at 200 yards.

[@chuckhaggard1584]

and yet the Boys was reportedly used very effectively against the Neubaufahrzeuge being used by the Germans in the push up the Gudbrand Valley. The Boys could also wreck all of the other armor being used by the Germans in Norway at that time

[@alistairwilson2261]

Hi runaway my uncle was with the argyles. Said they caused more casualties to users than enemy. Training route March in Perth so heavy it was passed around. Training on Scottish mountains it was so heavy and awkward more lads injured. Then over the same ground at night more injuries. Loathed by all, never mentioned its performance in action( he fought from Alemien onwards). I think they all for left in the battalion armoury. However he loved the bren! He was a carrier driver, but if on foot he always had a bren. Liked the Tommy gun too, but he said they were rare in his unit.

[@Sir_Godz]

great series idea

[@jmc7034]

Good vid. Looking forward to the shaped charge AT weapons

[@AyebeeMk2]

An interesting side note is the weapons favour with the commando raid on St Nazaire, many participating commandos choosing this weapon for its hitting power and low trajectory "hopefully to eliminate searchlights at long range"!. Also it was continued to be fitted to armoured cars and carriers as their expected opposition would have been lightly armoured vehicles. Will also go and find the other "Anti-Tank chats".

[@videodistro]

Nice series.

[@jennyzhang3336]

The Australian Roden Cutler, serving as an artillery forward observer in Syria, used a Boys anti-tank rifle to hold off a tank attack by Vichy French forces on the farmhouse that he and a couple of other troops were operating from. He concentrated on firing at the tank tracks. He lost a leg in the action, shot through the knee. He was later awarded the Victoria Cross for his many valiant actions over several days. In later life, following a diplomatic career, he served as the Governor of New South Wales. His biographer, Colleen McCullough, after interviewing him described him as “sexy in his eighties.” Perhaps the moral of the story is that you had to be one hell of a soldier to do anything good with that contraption. ;)

[@JeanLucCaptain]

The British Boys Anti-tank rifle sounds like something made in Gangland LOL. Edit: the Soviet Army used tons of their much cheaper to produce PTRD rifles. Basically, they would issue so many of them as they were simple to operate and construct that anything that remotely looked like a vehicle would get sandblasted by 14.5mm rounds. It got so bad that they started mounting those famous side skirts to protect their vehicles from the damn things. it was found that a PTRD could pen anything up to a Panzer IV in the right area which of course changed as vehicles got up-armoured. but they were simple and effective enough that they remained in use pretty much through the war against the many thin-skinned vehicles you encounter on the battlefield

[@markkoernke8437]

Love the gun and have shot many. They used to cost $57.00 each back in the 1970's from Canada with no paperwork. Very comfortable to shoot as long as you know how to get behind the gun. The US took the Boys into service and used it in the Pacific extensively. It was used in all of the early island campaigns. Liberty1775

[@Daniel-S1]

Thanks.

[@dave38434783]

Nice touch to separate out "anti-tank chats" from the "tank chats". Obvious, really!

[@Nat3ski]

I was hoping there would be more of these. The 17lb and 6 lb british AT guns deserve an episode each at least.

[@Hoopaball]

Americans did well with the Boys at Makin atoll. It was employed, amongst other weapons, to defeat a crashed Japanese seaplane that 18 soldiers decided to turn into a "fortification." The pics online of the Makin seaplane are famous.

[@jimsackmanbusinesscoaching1344]

My understanding is that the Soviet equivalent was used effectively to hit tank tracks. That was why the German Tanks got skirts over time. Were soldiers in the UK taught to do the same thing?

[@davelee4885]

I'm ex artillery we're taught to aim at the turret ring when carrying out anti tank firing it's the weakest point

[@aizseeker3622]

Soviet used the bigger 14.5mm

[@andrewcombe8907]

Sir Roden Cutler VC won his medal for using a Boys anti tank rifle against Vichy French tanks in Syria in the early days of WW2. He successfully knocked out tanks using this weapon. This weapon was appropriate for use against the lighter tanks of 1940 and 1941 such as the Panzer 1 and 2.

[@TheLoyalOfficer]

Much tougher to get those desirable side and rear shots than it sounds.

[@nirvana3921]

This rifle destroyed many Japanese Ha-Go tanks in Burma. But it did not play in the European theater and in North Africa.

[@thhseeking]

7:48 - Rommel looking at that armoured car & saying "Look at what they've done! They ruined a good Roller!!". In German, of course. :P

[@aaronleverton4221]

Rommel saying WTF to a WW1 armoured car just made my month. I think what made my love of the Boys was an article in The Elite (an '80 part-works from Orbis) about the Commandos in which to point out how different the Commandos were from the regular army Bren Guns might be used in batteries and a Boys was used at either Vaagso or Lofoten (memory is not photographic) to disable a German flak tower. Boys may have become obsolete as an anti-tank gun, as all anti-tank guns rapidly became, but it might have been the genesis of the anti-material rifle.

[@rattlesnake551]

very good video

[@clockmonkey]

Thing is in 1940 we didn't have anything better. Without the Boys we'd be using Axes, petrol soaked blankets and short lengths of railway track.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Don’t forget harsh language.

[@jungletroll3844]

@@AtheistOrphan "Oi Jerry you got a loisense for that"

[@johnjones_1501]

For as heavy as the Boys is, you have to remember that anything that can be killed by a Boys can be killed by an M2 Browning, and while you need two guys to carry an M2, maybe three with the baseplate and ammo, you can do a lot more with the M2, than you can with 3 boys rifles, especially if you are mounting them on vehicles.

[@aizseeker3622]

Also full auto 600 rpm with 100/1000 round belt instead of bolt action with 5 round magazine

[@DIEGhostfish]

Oh boy the Bazooka's coming. Lesssgooo!

[@propoker1108]

Let's go boys

[@haldorasgirson9463]

There was a gun shop in Columbus Ohio that had a Boys rifle when I lived there 10 years ago. They had it all (a wide variety of sub guns, belt fed you name it. Theirs was in .50 BMG. I don't know it had been converted from .55 or if it was built that way.

[@johnanthony6710]

Converted

[@PolakInHolland]

The Polish version the Wz.35 Ur. did a lot of good work in 1939. The Soviets were utilising the PTRD as late as Kursk '43.

[@c2757]

The boys anti-tank rifle. Quick coat of pink paint and you have the girls anti-tank rifle!

[@johnjones_1501]

A little off topic, but I always wondered that if the Brit paratroopers had bazookas instead of piats at Market Garden, if we would be remembering it as that time an entire German Panzer division made the mistake of getting bogged down in urban warfare and subsequently massacred, instead of "that battle that was a bridge too far."

[@harrisonwebb2823]

PIATs were better in urban warfare because they didn't produce a backblast and could therefore be fired from buildings, so I highly doubt it

[@johnjones_1501]

@@harrisonwebb2823 In theory, I understand what you are saying, but I also think that bazookas had much better armor penetration over all. Yes there would be limitations, but the bazooka was a better weapon. Don't get me wrong, the PIAT was a good solution at the start of the war, but weapons technology was jumping something like a decade worth of advancement for every year of the war, so by the time the Bazookas came out, it was just a better technology. Again, I understand you can't fire a bazooka from inside a house, but there are still numerous positions you could have fired them from. Excellent point though.

[@CAP198462]

Disney cartoon training films, lovely. Guess we won’t get a chat on my favourite, the SPzb 41, nuts.

[@NomadShadow1]

Cool

[@edgychico9311]

Me and the bois chilling in the smol boi carrier equip with an Anti tank bois rifle.

[@YerluvinunclePete]

Worth keeping around for the war. German scout, command and radio cars would have cause to fear that.

[@mcmoose64]

You didn't mention their deployment in the Pacific . They were in service with the Australian army in New Guinea . They would have been of great value at the battle of Milne Bay where the Japanese employed light tanks . Unfortunately the Australian troops left them at their base when they advanced to contact with the Japanese . This was because according to available intelligence at the time , the Japanese forces did not have tank support .

[@chuckhaggard1584]

They REALLY could have used them.

[@2serveand2protect]

Well I guess it couldn't have penetrated a Panther or a Tiger armour for sure - but still!...it might blast the periscopes, blind the driver, damage the tracks, etc. - MAYBE f**k up the muzzle brake. In expert hands it could do some nasty damage. Sure as hell it could penetrate a lightly armoured target - like the Pz-Gren.en vehicles or scouting units vehicles.

[@mhh7544]

I served in anti tank, APILAS and 95 mm recoiless gun.

[@agskytter8977]

A new Raufoss multi purpose round, with some sort of accuracy, should outperform the Barrett .50 and other bolt action anti materiel rifles today.