Churchill + Sten

[tiriaq]

Here is a photo that would seem to have been taken on the same occasion as the photo on the dust jacket of Peter Laidler's excellent "The Sten Machine Carbine". The other gentleman in the photo is Mr. Thompson, Churchill's bodyguard.
It is hard to see in the scan, but the rear sight on this gun is non-standard. It appears to be made with a curved saddle which partially wraps around the head collar. In the dust jacket photo, you can just see that the gun has a sling swivel fitted to the front of the barrel nut. The gun was no doubt a prototype of the Mk. II, and these features were not incorporated in production guns.

Information

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[Harlan (Deceased)]

Here's one of my favorites -
That's Bradley and Eisenhower on either side checking out the new M1 carbine.




This one is pretty well known, but still interesting.
The German propaganda ministry tried to use it as a leaflet to drop on England, but it backfired.
(Most of the English took it as a compliment!)

[Swede]

Cool pics

[Mk VII]

Yes, it's taken on the same occasion at the Shoeburyness Proving Establishment on 13th June 1941. Just behind the PM out of shot on the left is Captain David Margesson, the Conservative Chief Whip, who was briefly Secretary of War at the time.

[Gil Boyd]

Just currently researching Inspector Thompson, who was Churchill's Close Protection Officer Met Police and his favoured side arms, and came across this photo, which I believe is the wide angle shot of the closer shot and different angle on Peter Laidlers book jacket taken on the 13th June 1941.
Thompson is in the pin striped suit on the right, always carried a S&W .38 but changed to a Colt .45 later tucked in his belt.

[mrclark303]

Who needs hearing protection when you have bowler hat and a cigar!

Most were probably half deaf from WW1 service anyway I guess!

[Gil Boyd]

Inspector Walter Thompson was a dedicated bloke to Churchill from all accounts and were inseparable. As a Special Branch officer for many years he was described by Churchills wife Clementine as "Churchills Shadow", the title of his book many years later.
He was a stickler for the .38 S&W but later moved over to the 1911 .45. He rarely shot either and IMHO was very lucky that noone tried to attack Churchill throughout his period as Personal Protection Officer, as a waste band is the last place to try to recover a pistol quickly!!!.

[GeeRam]

Inspector Walter Thompson was a dedicated bloke to Churchill from all accounts and were inseparable. As a Special Branch officer for many years he was described by Churchills wife Clementine as "Churchills Shadow", the title of his book many years later.
He was a stickler for the .38 S&W but later moved over to the 1911 .45. He rarely shot either and IMHO was very lucky that noone tried to attack Churchill throughout his period as Personal Protection Officer, as a waste band is the last place to try to recover a pistol quickly!!!.

You would have thought given his position, Churchill would have been able to get hold of a US issue M3 or M7 shoulder holster for Thompson's 1911....??

[Gil Boyd]

The way I understand it, he was a CPO who did his own thing, much encouraged in Special Branch in those days, so into his trouser band it sat. He probably, and quite rightly always feared his boss was a "real" target by the Nazi's and needed to be ready to respond!!

[Bob Womack]

When I was looking at these pics again the thought that came to my mind was, "who in the current lot" would be caught dead in front of a camera with a gun of any kind in his hand?" I don't want this to devolve into a political discussion but I just love the fact that the leaders of the period weren't afraid of being seen with the tools of the trade.


Bob