Lanchester submachine gun

Lanchester submachine gun was a British submachine gun produced during the Second World War. Designed as a direct copy of the German MP 28, it was intended for issue to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force for airfield and ship defense. The weapon is named for its designer, George Herbert Lanchester, and was manufactured primarily by the Sterling Armaments Company.

Development and design

The urgent need for close-quarter defense weapons following the Battle of Britain and the Dunkirk evacuation led to the rapid development of the Lanchester. The Admiralty directed the creation of a reliable submachine gun, with designer George Herbert Lanchester tasked to base it on the robust and proven MP 28, which had been captured in some numbers. The resulting design was a heavy, well-made weapon machined from solid steel, featuring a wooden stock similar to the Lee–Enfield rifle and a side-mounted 50-round magazine. Key internal components, such as the bolt and recoil spring, were virtually identical to those of the German original, ensuring simple operation via blowback action from an open bolt. Unlike many contemporary submachine guns, it included a fire selector for both semi-automatic and fully automatic fire, and its bayonet lug could accept the Pattern 1907 bayonet from the SMLE.

Service history

The Lanchester entered service in 1941, with primary issuance to the Royal Navy for guarding dockyards, naval bases, and capital ships like HMS *King George V*. It also saw limited use with the Royal Air Force for protecting airfields such as RAF Biggin Hill and with the Royal Marines during commando raids, including operations in the Norwegian campaign. While reliable, its weight and cost compared unfavorably with the simpler, mass-produced Sten gun, which became the British Army's standard issue. Consequently, the Lanchester never saw widespread frontline combat with the British Army during major campaigns like the North African campaign or the Battle of Normandy, remaining largely a specialist naval weapon throughout the conflict and into the post-war period.

Variants

Two main variants of the Lanchester were produced. The original **Mk.I** featured the fire selector and bayonet lug, embodying the full design intent for disciplined volley fire and close-quarters engagement. The simplified **Mk.I***, introduced to accelerate production, omitted the fire selector, making it capable of fully automatic fire only, and removed the bayonet lug. No significant mechanical differences existed between the models, and both were chambered for the standard 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, using the same magazines which were interchangeable with the early Sten gun but not with the later Sterling submachine gun.

Users

The primary user was the United Kingdom, specifically the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. Following the Second World War, surplus Lanchesters were provided to various Commonwealth and allied nations. These included Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, whose navies used them for a time. They were also supplied to Greece and Jordan, seeing action in regional conflicts. The weapon remained in British naval service, notably aboard vessels during the Suez Crisis, until it was finally replaced by the Sterling submachine gun in the 1960s.

Specifications

The Lanchester was a heavy, solidly constructed weapon. It fired the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge from an open bolt using a simple blowback mechanism. Its barrel length was 203 mm (8 inches), with an overall length of 851 mm (33.5 inches). When loaded with a full 50-round magazine, it weighed approximately 4.34 kg (9.56 lb). The cyclic rate of fire was around 600 rounds per minute, with a muzzle velocity of roughly 380 m/s (1,250 ft/s). It used a box magazine inserted from the left side and was equipped with basic iron sights. Its construction from machined steel and use of a wooden stock made it notably durable but also heavier than its contemporaries like the MP 40 or Thompson submachine gun.

Category:Submachine guns Category:World War II British infantry weapons