List of World War II weapons used in Ireland Facts for Kids

Ireland stayed neutral during World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945. Even though they were neutral, the country still got ready for possible invasions from both Britain and Nazi Germany. They had to be prepared!

Ireland did help the Allies (the side fighting Germany) in some ways. For example, they allowed Allied planes to fly over a special area called the Donegal Corridor. They also shared important weather reports from the Atlantic Ocean. These reports were super helpful for planning big events like D-Day, which was a huge invasion by the Allies.

The IRA was a separate group that wanted Ireland to be fully independent. They sometimes worked with Nazi Germany, like in something called Operation Dove. But it's important to know that the IRA was not part of the official Irish army and the Irish government did not support them. So, their weapons are not included in this list.

After World War I, Ireland had some conflicts with the United Kingdom, like the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. During these times, Irish forces captured many British weapons from World War I. These older weapons were then used by the Irish Army during World War II.

Small Arms

Small arms are weapons that soldiers can carry and use by themselves. These include rifles, pistols, and machine guns.

Rifles

Rifles are long guns used for shooting at a distance.

Short Magazine Lee–Enfield No. 1 MKIII - This was the standard rifle used by the Irish Army.
Springfield M1903 - Used by the Local Defence Force and Local Security Force, which were groups of volunteers helping to protect the country.
M1917 Enfield - Also used by the Local Defence Force.
Pattern 1914 (Scoped variant) - A special version with a scope, used for sniping.

Sidearms

Sidearms are smaller guns, like pistols or revolvers, carried by soldiers for close combat or as a backup.

Enfield No. 2
Webley MK IV Revolver - This was a common standard pistol.
Mauser C96 - The army had 295 of these pistols in their storage.

Submachine Guns

Submachine guns are automatic weapons that are smaller than rifles and fire pistol ammunition. They are good for close-quarters fighting.

M1921 Thompson - These were left over from earlier conflicts and put into use.
Bergmann MP-18 - Also from older army stockpiles, these were brought into service.

Machine Guns

Machine guns can fire many bullets very quickly. They are used to provide a lot of firepower.

Vickers machine gun
Lewis gun
Bren gun
Madsen Machine Gun - Used on vehicles.
Hotchkiss M1909 - Also used on vehicles.
Vickers.50 Machine Gun - A larger machine gun, used on vehicles.

Grenades

Grenades are small bombs that can be thrown by hand or launched from a rifle.

Mills bomb - A common type of hand grenade.
MK3 Rifle Grenade - A grenade that could be fired from a rifle.
Molotov Cocktail/Petrol Bomb - These were homemade fire bombs, and the Irish Army even practiced using them in exercises.

Shotguns

Shotguns fire a spread of small pellets, useful for close range.

Winchester 1897
Unidentified 12 Bore Shotgun - Another type of shotgun.

Melee Weapons

Melee weapons are used in hand-to-hand combat.

Pattern 1907 Bayonet - A knife attached to the end of a rifle.
Irish Army officers sabre - A type of sword carried by officers.

Anti-Tank Weapons

These weapons were designed to stop or destroy enemy tanks.

Boys Anti-Tank Rifle - A powerful rifle that could damage light tanks.
Vickers QF 2-Pounder Anti-Tank Gun - A small cannon used to fight tanks.
25 lb Anti-Tank mine (Irish made) - A mine made in Ireland to blow up tanks.
The 'De Valera' mine (Irish made) - Another type of anti-tank mine made in Ireland.

Artillery

Artillery refers to large guns that fire shells over long distances.

Mortars

Mortars are simple weapons that fire shells in a high arc, often used to hit targets behind obstacles.

Brandt Mle 27/31
ML-3 Inch
Brandt Mle 1935

Field Artillery

Field artillery guns are used to support ground troops by firing shells at enemy positions far away.

QF 18-pounder gun
BL 60-pounder gun
QF 4.5-inch howitzer

Anti-Aircraft Guns

These guns were used to shoot down enemy airplanes.

Bofors 40mm - A very famous and effective anti-aircraft gun.
QF 3-Inch 20-cwt
QF 3.7-Inch
QF 12-Pounder 12-cwt - This gun was originally for ships but was changed to be used against aircraft.

Coastal Defence Guns

These large guns were placed along the coast to protect Ireland from attacks by sea.

BL 9.2 Inch
BL 6-Inch
QF 12-Pounder 12-cwt
QF 4.7 inch

Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs)

AFVs are military vehicles protected by armor, like armored cars and tanks.

Armoured Cars

Armored cars are wheeled vehicles with armor, used for scouting or light combat.

Rolls-Royce Armoured Car
Landsverk L180
Leyland Armoured Car
Beaverette
Universal 'Bren' Carrier
Ford MK V
Ford MK VI
Ford MK IV
Dodge MK VII
Dodge MK VIII
GSR Morris MK IV

Tanks

Tanks are heavily armored, tracked vehicles with powerful guns, used for attacking enemy lines.

Landsverk L-60
Vickers MK. D

AFV Armaments

These are the main weapons mounted on armored vehicles, not including smaller guns like machine guns.

Madsen 20mm - A powerful cannon.
QF 6-Pounder - A larger cannon.

Marine Service Vessels

These are the ships and boats used by the Irish Navy to patrol the waters around Ireland.

Muirchú - A patrol vessel.
PAS Fort Rannoch
MTB-1
MTB-2
MTB-3
MTB-4
MTB-5
MTB-6
Various port control pilot boats - Smaller boats used in harbors.

Other Vehicles

The Irish Army also used different types of vehicles for transport and other tasks.

Morris Commercial C8 FAT - A type of truck used for towing artillery.
BSA M20 500cc Motorbike - Motorcycles used for quick transport and messages.
Morris Commercial CDSW - Another type of truck.
Leyland Retriever Machinery Lorry - A large truck used for carrying heavy equipment.

List of World War II weapons used in Ireland facts for kids

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