Editing PIAT (section)

===World War II===
The PIAT was used in all theatres in which British and other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]  forces served.<ref name=Khan23/>

It entered service in early-1943, and was first used in action in March near [[Majaz al Bab]] during the Tunisia Campaign.<ref name="Moss2">Moss, p.38</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Moore|first=Craig|title=How to kill a Panther tank|pages=424}}</ref><ref name=tfss26>{{cite book |date=2023 |title=Tankfest Souvenir Special |publisher=The Tank Museum |page=26 |isbn=9781739354725}}</ref> The 1944 war establishment for a British [[platoon]], which contained 36 men, had a single PIAT attached to the platoon headquarters, alongside a [[Two-inch mortar|{{convert |2|in|mm|adj=on}} mortar]] detachment.<ref>Neillands, p. 214</ref> Three PIATs were issued to every company at the headquarters level for issuing at the CO discretion – allowing one weapon for each platoon.<ref name="Bull"/> British Army and [[Royal Marines]] [[British Commandos|commandos]] were also issued with PIATs and used them in action.<ref>Moreman, p. 47</ref>

In [[Australian Army]] service, the PIAT was also known as "Projector Infantry Tank Attack" (''PITA''). From 1943, one PIAT team was allocated to each infantry platoon in a [[Jungle Division|jungle division]]<ref name="Kuring_173">Kuring, p. 173</ref> – the tropical light infantry formation that was the standard front-line Australian division in the [[South West Pacific theatre]]. It was used against Japanese tanks, other vehicles and fortifications during the [[Borneo campaign (1945)|Borneo campaign of 1945]].

A contemporary (1944–45) Canadian Army survey questioned 161 army officers, who had recently left combat, about the effectiveness of 31 different infantry weapons. In that survey the PIAT was ranked the most "outstandingly effective" weapon, followed by the [[Bren gun]].<ref name="Battle Experience Questionnaires, Vol. 10,450">Library and Archives Canada, Record Group 24, Battle Experience Questionnaires, Vol. 10,450, Weekly Reports, Canadian Small Arms Liaison Officer Overseas, 1941–1945, C-5167</ref>

An analysis by British staff officers of the initial period of the [[Invasion of Normandy|Normandy campaign]] found that 7% of all German tanks destroyed by British forces were knocked out by PIATs, compared to 6% by rockets fired by aircraft. However, they also found that once German tanks had been fitted with [[Vehicle armour#Spaced|armoured skirts]] that detonated shaped charge ammunition before it could penetrate the tank's armour, the weapon became much less effective.<ref name="French"/>

As part of the [[Anglo-Soviet Military Supplies Agreement]], by 31 March 1946 the Soviet Union had been supplied with 1000 PIATs and 100,000 rounds of ammunition.<ref name="Hansard">{{Citation |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1946/apr/16/russia-british-empire-war-assistance#S5CV0421P0_19460416_HOC_267 |title=Russia (British Empire war assistance) |volume=421 |at=cc2517 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |date=16 April 1946 |access-date=27 April 2009 |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422053617/https://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1946/apr/16/russia-british-empire-war-assistance|archive-date= April 22, 2023}}</ref> The PIAT was also used by resistance groups in [[Occupied Europe]]. During the [[Warsaw Uprising]], it was one of many weapons that [[Polish Underground State|Polish Underground resistance fighters]] used against German forces.<ref name=bruce145>Bruce, p. 145</ref> In occupied France, the [[French resistance]] used the PIAT in the absence of mortars or artillery.<ref name=crowdy63>Crowdy, p. 63</ref>

[[File:The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 B11928.jpg|thumb|A soldier of the [[Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry]] carrying a PIAT, November 1944]]
Six [[Victoria Cross]]es were awarded to members of the British and other Commonwealth armed forces for actions using the PIAT:<ref>Khan, p. 3</ref>
* On 16 May 1944, during the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]], [[Fusilier]] [[Frank Jefferson]] used a PIAT to destroy a [[Panzer IV]] tank and repel a German counterattack launched against his unit as they assaulted a section of the [[Winter Line|Gustav Line]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36605 |supp=y |page=3273 |date=11 July 1944}}</ref>
* On 6 June 1944, [[Company Sergeant Major]] [[Stanley Hollis]], in one of several actions that day, used a PIAT in an attack against a German field gun.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=15 August 1944|issue=36658|supp=y|page=3807}}</ref>
* On 12 June 1944 Rifleman [[Ganju Lama]] of the [[7th Gurkha Rifles]] used a PIAT to knock out two Japanese tanks attacking his unit at [[Ningthoukhong]], [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur]] (given as Burma in the official citation). Despite sustaining injuries, Ganju Lama approached within {{convert|30|yd|m|spell=in}} of the enemy tanks, and having knocked them out moved on to attack the crews as they tried to escape.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36690 |supp=y |page=4157-4158 |date=7 September 1944}}</ref> When asked by his Army Commander, [[William Slim]], why he went so close, he replied he was not certain of hitting with a PIAT beyond {{convert|30|yd|m|spell=in}}.<ref>Lt.Gen. Sir Geoffrey Evans and Anthony Brett-James ''Imphal- A Flower on Lofty Heights'', Macmillan & Co., London, 1962, p. 310</ref>
* Between 19 and 25 September 1944, during the [[Battle of Arnhem]], [[Major (rank)|Major]] [[Robert Henry Cain]] used a PIAT to disable an [[Stug III|assault gun]] that was advancing on his company position, and to force another three German [[Panzer IV]] tanks to retreat during a later assault.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36774 |supp=y |page=5015 |date=31 October 1944}}</ref>
* On the night of 21/22 October 1944, [[Private (rank)|Private]] [[Ernest Smith|Ernest Alvia ("Smokey") Smith]] used a PIAT to destroy a German [[Panther tank]], one of three Panthers and two self-propelled guns attacking his small group. The self-propelled vehicles were also knocked out. He then used a [[Thompson submachine gun]] to kill or repel about 30 enemy soldiers. His actions secured a bridgehead on the [[Savio River]] in Italy.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36849 |supp=y |page=5841 |date=19 December 1944}}</ref>
* On 9 December 1944, while defending positions in [[Faenza]], Italy, [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]] [[John Brunt|John Henry Cound Brunt]] used a PIAT, amongst other weapons, to help repel an attack by the German [[90th Light Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|90th Panzergrenadier Division]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36928 |supp=y |page=791 |date=6 February 1945}}</ref>