Germans with captured Thompson sub machine gun

[RCS]

Interesting photo shows a group of German soldiers and a captured Thompson sun machine gun. I would guess the photo is from either North Africa or Greece ?

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[browningautorifle]

I'll bet it's an early one too, maybe a '21/'28... I'd love to examine that one. Friend of mine passed a few years ago and before he went he donated his M1 "T" to a local military museum. He had procured this M1 from a Canadian Engineer Officer that had taken it off a German that had taken it off an American. All had carved their initials in the butt. All this had happened at Arnhem. He kept it for sixty years... Now it's crowded into a small display case with no mention of the actual provenance.

[mrclark303]

I'll bet it's an early one too, maybe a '21/'28... I'd love to examine that one. Friend of mine passed a few years ago and before he went he donated his M1 "T" to a local military museum. He had procured this M1 from a Canadian Engineer Officer that had taken it off a German that had taken it off an American. All had carved their initials in the butt. All this had happened at Arnhem. He kept it for sixty years... Now it's crowded into a small display case with no mention of the actual provenance.

That's a real shame Jim, sounds like something to make a fuss about mate.....

[browningautorifle]

a real shame

Like much of history, being forgotten because people that were there are gone and the second hand story people are starting to go too...

[GeeRam]

Interesting photo shows a group of German soldiers and a captured Thompson sun machine gun. I would guess the photo is from either North Africa or Greece ?Attachment 127491

Greece/Crete would seem the most likely looking at the writing of the shop sign in the background.

---------- Post added at 07:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:45 PM ----------

I'll bet it's an early one too, maybe a '21/'28...

It won't be a '21, will be a '28 as it will have come from a captured/surrender British source.

He'll have to have captured a fair amount of .45acp ammo though to feed it

[RCS]

I would bet that it is a Savage 1928A1, the early Savage production rivaled the Colt 1921.

France did purchase some Colt 1921 smgs just before the war and not all had the cutts comp
while all 28A1 smg's had the cutt comp

[Gil Boyd]

Jim,
Its not in our weapons cabinet at The Parachute Regiment & Airborne Forces museum at Duxford which is vast and glazed on four sides, we even have Saddam Husseins gold AK47 seized from his Palace on the liberation, be nice to know where the rifle ended up, where is it mate as its relevant to U.S Forces on Op Market Garden?
The Germans did take away alot of weapons on Crete, can't see any airborne there in that phot by insignia!

[browningautorifle]

be nice to know where the rifle ended up, where is it mate as its relevant to U.S Forces on Op Market Garden?

You mean the M1 Thompson? It's in the Ashton Armory museum here in Victoria. A US weapon captured by Germans, captured by Canadians Engineers and brought back when the Canadian Engineers took the boats across to fetch the withdrawl. I could probably get you an address to correspond if you can't find one. I think it's a volunteer organization so could be hard to pin down. You might have to come get it...spend a few days.

[GeeRam]

The UK original PAM shows 1921 guns and I know there were some.

Not sure what PAM stands for, but I've only seen written that the very first contract purchase by the War Dept (prior to Lend-Lease of course) was direct with Auto-Ordnance and they were all Savage made M1928 guns...?

---------- Post added at 08:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 PM ----------

I would bet that it is a Savage 1928A1, the early Savage production rivaled the Colt 1921.

France did purchase some Colt 1921 smgs just before the war and not all had the cutts comp
while all 28A1 smg's had the cutt comp

I bet its not even an A1, all the early pre-lend lease guns bought commercially by UK were M1928 with no A or A1 suffix.

The French order was never delivered, as France had surrendered before they were delivered and they were diverted to the UK from what I recall reading. Maybe some of these were Colt '21's...?

[Flying10uk]

Not sure what PAM stands for,

Purchase Order Approval Management, possibly?