The propaganda photograph above dates from the summer of 1943 and shows a pair of Canadian troops from the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps training in the UK. A private and a sergeant both have M1928 Thompsons, their weapons are unloaded and both have been equipped with webbing slings. The Thompson in the foreground has lost its forward sling swivel and the sling has been looped around the submachine gun’s barrel near the end of the cooling fins. Both soldiers are wearing battledress and have the 1937 Pattern webbing gear, and a matching pair of excellent pencil moustaches. The M1928 Thompson was adopted by the British Army in 1940, with over 300,000 being ordered via the British Purchasing Commission in the US. Only approximately 100,000 of those orders arrived, however, and the British adopted the indigenously made Sten in March 1941. The Thompson remained in service, however, and was extensively used by British and Commonwealth troops in North Africa, Italy, France and the Far East. They were especially well liked by Commando units, who refused to give them up when it was planned to issue Sten guns. The Thompson became a prominent feature in Britain’s propaganda with the first guns to arrive often moved between units which appeared in newsreels and print articles to give the impression of widespread issue.
Source :
https://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/158684164594/in-action-thompson-m1928-the-propaganda
