rpbcps Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 This evening, when looking for something else I stumbled upon this photo I had not seen before, so I thought I would share it with you all. The caption of the photo says it was taken in Whitley Bay, which is not far from where I spent some of my child hood, on the North East coast of England. I have many fond memories of day trips to Whitley Bay with my grand parents, when I was young. The British group Dire Straits had a hit song, (in the UK) called "Tunnel of Love", which immortalised the fair ground in Whitley Bay, (called the Spanish City), but I digress. No doubt during WW2 the coastline was heavily fortified, indeed there is a rich history of coastal defences going back to Roman times and indeed, Hadrian's Wall ends not far from Whitey Bay, in aptly name Wallsend. Stay safeRichard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMG28 Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 Richard, Do you have any idea when the pic was taken? Apparently it was before the British decided that L-drums were not a good idea. Lots of drums in that pic. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryKeim Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 Your digression regarding Dire Straits is appreciated by this fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APEXgunparts Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 My Grandmother (Gill, mothers side) lived in Newbiggin-by-sea.I used to stay with her during summer vacation.RAF Acklington is in that area, I visited it before it closed down.My Mothers second husband was in the RAF Regiment, they had the mission for airfield defense.My Dad was RNVR during WWII (RADAR and electronic repair)At the beginning of the war he was in the LDV (Local Defense Volunteers) and remembered not wanting to be the guy who carried the Thompson drums!Grandad Gill ( who served all the way thru both World Wars, including landing at Gallipolli) had his HQ in Seahouses (north east coast of Northumberland) early in WWII and was in charge of the defense of 200 miles of British coastline.He didn't have much to work with, the Army built a whole lot of bunkers and a whole lot of decoys that looked impressive to German aerial reconnaissance.Photo's like the one posted I think were meant to boost morale of the public during a time of a lot of worry & fear.Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpbcps Posted December 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 Richard, Do you have any idea when the pic was taken? Apparently it was before the British decided that L-drums were not a good idea. Lots of drums in that pic. Roger Roger,The caption for the image, which are not always historically correct I have found, said it was taken in 1942. As these are for home front aerodrome protection, perhaps they continued to use drums, as they would not have the same issues that front line troops had using them tactically etc.?Your digression regarding Dire Straits is appreciated by this fan.Gary,I did not know if Dire Straits were well known in the USA, I guess British music was quite global back in the day. So outside of TSMGs, we have another common 'interest'. My Grandmother (Gill, mothers side) lived in Newbiggin-by-sea.I used to stay with her during summer vacation.RAF Acklington is in that area, I visited it before it closed down.My Mothers second husband was in the RAF Regiment, they had the mission for airfield defense.My Dad was RNVR during WWII (RADAR and electronic repair)At the beginning of the war he was in the LDV (Local Defense Volunteers) and remembered not wanting to be the guy who carried the Thompson drums!Grandad Gill ( who served all the way thru both World Wars, including landing at Gallipolli) had his HQ in Seahouses (north east coast of Northumberland) early in WWII and was in charge of the defense of 200 miles of British coastline.He didn't have much to work with, the Army built a whole lot of bunkers and a whole lot of decoys that looked impressive to German aerial reconnaissance.Photo's like the one posted I think were meant to boost morale of the public during a time of a lot of worry & fear. Richard Richard,It is a small world I know the Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Seahouses well, over the years, I often passed them on my way up to visit relatives in Scotland. The site of RAF Acklington is now a prison, an acquittance of mine has just retired from the prison service and that was the last prison he worked in. Indeed, I agree with your last line, photos were often taken and published for propaganda purposes, by all sides during WW2. Stay safeRichard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD. Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 Richard,That is a great picture! Thank you for sharing. If I had known about this picture and could have found a little higher resolution, it would have been featured in, Great Britain - The Tommy Gun Story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kp31 Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 Dire Straits was very popular here in the USA in the 1980's with a number of #1 hits. Great band.As an owner of a British marked early Savage 1928, I really appreciate the picture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Wright Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 Dire Straits was very popular here in the USA in the 1980's with a number of #1 hits. Great band. As an owner of a British marked early Savage 1928, I really appreciate the picture! I have the same gun. Mine is S-62648. Would be interested in exchanging pics, if you are interested. Like DireStraits too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huggytree Posted December 5, 2019 Report Share Posted December 5, 2019 not practicing gun safety. he has 11 chances to be shot by a newbie idiot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpbcps Posted December 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2019 Richard,That is a great picture! Thank you for sharing. If I had known about this picture and could have found a little higher resolution, it would have been featured in, Great Britain - The Tommy Gun Story. Tom,It was the first time I had seen that picture myself, when I stumbled upon it earlier in the week. No doubt there are many more pictures out there, waiting to be discovered. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk VII Posted December 7, 2019 Report Share Posted December 7, 2019 The nearest man, at least, is wearing the RAF shoulder eagle on army battledress so it is probably the RAF Regiment, which came into existence in 1942. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgeport28A1 Posted December 7, 2019 Report Share Posted December 7, 2019 not practicing gun safety. he has 11 chances to be shot by a newbie idiot Actuators that are visible are all forward with the drums inserted. I expect there isn't a round in any of the TommyGuns. I give the British a little more credit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canada2020 Posted December 21, 2019 Report Share Posted December 21, 2019 I recently came across a tommy gun vertical foregrip here in Canada at a yard sale which I believe to be authentic because it has a british sling mount and Canadians used british weapons in ww2 and also I got it from a lady who said it was her grandpas and she had no idea what it even was so I bought it as a display piece since I knew it was from a Thompson and it feels high quality. I paid $1.00 so if anyone can tell me their opinions that would be helpful. I will post a few pics I just took but I have more pics If anyone wants to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD. Posted December 21, 2019 Report Share Posted December 21, 2019 Congratulations. The vertical fore grip is definitely worth a dollar! Take a picture from the top showing us the long channel. Are there any markings inside the channel? Could you also measure the screw that came with the grip. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canada2020 Posted December 21, 2019 Report Share Posted December 21, 2019 Here are some more pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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