Passchendaele

Passchendaele (2008)

Passchendaele is the first big-budget Canadian war movie, the brainchild of director/writer/star Paul Gross. It follows a Canadian Seargent (Gross' grandfather) of the 10th Battalion CEF during the Battle Of Passchendaele and while recruiting on the home front.

The following guns were used in the film Passchendaele:

Short Magazine Lee Enfield

Most Canadian soldiers carry Lee-Enfield rifles, including Sgt Dunne, Pte Highway and Pte Mann.

Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk.III* - .303 British. This was the main battle rifle of British and Commonwealth forces during the First World War, introduced in 1907 it has seen action throughout the 20th century.

Special - the 10th Battalion's deputy commander indicates a position with a .303 Mk.VII cartridge. This is an error, as at Passchendaele the Canadian Corps was still using the round-nosed Mk.VI round.

Maxim MG'08

A German Maxim MG08 is seen emplaced in a shelled-out church at the beginning of the film.

Maxim MG08 7.92x57mm Mauser on sled mount

The German machine gun crew fires their Maxim

The German crew commander spots for targets.

No.36 Mills Bomb

Used by Sgt Dunne against the German machine gun nest.

Mills Bomb High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade

Sgt Dunne prepares his Mills bomb - note that his fingers should be holding the safety lever.

Vickers Gun

Seen at the 10th Battalion recruiting fair.

Vickers Mk1 Machine Gun

A Vickers gun on display outside of a recruting tent in Calgary.

Lewis Gun

Used by Canadian soldiers through the Passchendaele scenes.

Lewis gun .303

Pte Godin carries his Lewis gun, demonstrating that the 30lb gun was light in relative terms only.

Pte Godin tries to keep his Lewis gun above water.

A soldier from the 8th Battalion (Winnipeg Rifles) fires his Lewis gun.

Pte Godin mans his Lewis gun while cursing in French. The movie never explains why a Quebecois is serving in an Albertan battalion.

Webley Mk.VI

Carried by Canadian officers throughout the movie, although the Canadian Corps was actually issued the Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector.

Webley Mk. VI .455 Webley

Turkish Mauser M1903

German soldiers throughought the Passchendaele battle carry Turkish Mauser M1903. According the movies' armorer, a supply of correct German Gewehr 98 rifles was located for this film, but could not be imported in time and the Turkish model was substituted.

Turkish Mauser 1903 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A German soldier advances with his Mauser

A German soldier aims his Mauser

Mauser C/96 "Bolo Model"

A German Seargent is seen with a Mauser C96. This seems to be a postwar Bolo model.

File:Mauser c96 bolo.jpg

Mauser C96 7.63x25mm Mauser - Short Barreled "Bolo" Model

The German Seargent aims his Mauser pistol.

Pte Mann is captured by the Mauser-carrying Seargent

The German Seargent fires his Mauser

Ordnance QF 18 Pdr

Fired at German lines at the openning of the Passchendaele attack.

Ordnance QF 18 Pdrs prepare to open fire on the German positions.

7.58cm mittelerer Minenwerfer

Seen being fired at Canadian troops during the Passchendaele attack.

German troops load the Minenwerfer.

Knives

True to life, many knives and improvised weapons are carried by Canadian troops.

Pte Highway carries a US M1918 Trench Knife - unlikely, but not impossible as Canadian troops were notorious scroungers

Sgt Dunne carries a Ross rifle bayonet cut-down into a fighting knife - very commonly used by Canadian troops.