Vol. VII No. 1

Operational Trials of the E.M. 2 Automatic Rifle in Malaya, 1952–1953

Abstract

This article outlines the little-known field trials carried out with the British E.M. 2 advanced prototype assault rifle during the Malayan Emergency. It introduces the E.M. 2 rifle (accepted for service in 1951 as Rifle, 7 mm, No. 9, Mk. I) and the ‘Operational Trial’ as a part of the period British small arms procurement process. It then outlines the different trials carried out during the period in question and the military units involved, as well introducing some of the key personnel. Surviving examples of the E.M. 2 rifles used in these trials—today held in the Royal Armouries collection—are also identified and their known history elucidated. The implications for the ongoing development of the E.M. 2 after the trials period are then explored.

Issue: Vol. VII No. 1
Published: 25 May 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52357/armax80009
Peer reviewed?: Yes

Keywords: E.M. 2, Malaya, Malayan Emergency, self-loading rifles, Cold War

Bibliographic Information

Jonathan S. Ferguson, ‘Operational Trials of the E.M. 2 Automatic Rifle in Malaya, 1952–1953’, Armax: The Journal of Contemporary Arms, Vol. VII № 1 (2021), pp. 21–36, <https://doi.org/10.52357/armax80009>.

About the Author

Jonathan S. Ferguson is Keeper of Firearms & Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the United Kingdom, a Technical Specialist with Armament Research Services (ARES), and the Associate Editor of Armax. He is curatorially responsible for a collection spanning the full history of firearms, from the handgun of mediaeval times to the latest modular assault rifle designs. His research interests include the use and effect of firearms and the history of British military small arms. Notable publications include The ‘Broomhandle’ Mauser (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2017), Thorneycroft to SA80: British Bullpup Firearms, 1901–2020 (Nashville: Headstamp Publishing, 2020), and numerous ARES technical reports.