Lanchaster Manuals

[Melanie_Daniels]

I found the British 1941, 1943 and 1951 Lanchaster Manuals. I was surprised to hear about a Dutch, a 1948 British and a 1950 French Manual for this weapon. Has anybody further Information?

Information

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[Brit plumber]

Lots of Lanchesters were sold off in WW2 so it would make sense for the new owners to simply translate the British manual into their own language.

I’d imagine you will also find them in Egyptian and Spanish (Argentina).

[Melanie_Daniels]

Is there a link to any pdf English version of the Lanchester manual?????

https://www.smallarmsreview.com/archive/detail.arc.entry.cfm?arcid=1676
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/archive/detail.arc.entry.cfm?arcid=2186
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/archive/detail.arc.entry.cfm?arcid=1802
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/archive/detail.arc.entry.cfm?arcid=15542

From the 1950 French Manual I have one page - it show`s a Lanchester with French sling.
https://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?1118247-Need-a-1950-French-Manual-for-the-Lanchester-SMG

[Peter Laidler]

What is very interesting are the small amendments , especially the fully amended booklet (1802 above) dated up to 1955 and includes the strange 'safety or anti rebound thinggy....... Quite how it prevents rebound and why it's not a safety catch is a bit of a mechanical mystery but there you go!. Note also that on the cover it states 'replaced by L3' We can only assume that the holder of this particular handbook means the L2-A3, Sterling and not the L3 - which was a modified Browning M1919 machine gun!!!!!!!

We were rebuilding UK, NZ and Aust Navy Lanchesters from the hige Naval Ordnance depot at Sembawang in Singapore right up until 1969 or so. Those that were on the submarines and coastal patrol ships in the South China sea were all in what we called 'salty' condition. Don't forget that the Japanese reprinted the UK Bren manual to make use of the thousands captured in Malaya and Singapore in order to use the 90 million rounds of 303 ammo abandoned there. Hey ho......

[Melanie_Daniels]

For me was the most interesting part of the manuals the different handling of the bayonet - it seems like: We need a bayonet, but we don`t know exat how to use it.

[Peter Laidler]

It used to be said that if you need a bayonet on a sub machine gun, then you REALLY do need a bayonet!!!!! The last means of true mechanical defiance..

I have never seen the colour illustrations of the gun before. These were done by the Sterling design office so I am reliably informed by James Edmiston who has the originals which will (probably now......) appear in the revamped TGOD book along with the same of the L2A3

[Brit plumber]

When’s that new edition due out Peter?

[Peter Laidler]

Next Summer

[Brit plumber]

Super, I’ve been looking for a copy for years that wasn’t going to cost the earth.

I sent you a PM regarding STENs and your finest memories.