Savage Restores U.K. Bound Sea Damaged Colt TSMGs

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Arthur

Just to clarify, I am still of the belief that 748 of the initial order of 750 guns were made by Savage, but am open to new information coming along to disprove this, but I doubt this will happen, in view of what has already been uncovered by researchers around the world, which seems fairly compelling to me, but thats just my opinion.

 

In addition to these are the Colt Thompson's collected through the American Committee for Defense of British Homes, along with the Thompson's used by the American Motorized Squadron Home Guard based in London - see photo. Tom covers both these in his book.

Alan,

 

It is those initial 180 TSMGs delivered to AOC April 16, 1940 that were supposed to be all of Savage manufacture where the research is sketchy. Considering the total production for that month was 201, it would be beneficial to know when in April Savage production began and what were the production numbers by the week in that month in order to eliminate the logical conclusion that the Colt TSMGs in AOC inventory brought the available numbers up to 180 by that date.

 

Back in 2017 (see thread) I posted that 1940 photo of American movie house architect Howard Crane Home Guard posing with what I tagged as a Colt 1928 TSMG. Tom doubted that the TSMG in the photo was a Colt.

 

http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20475&hl=

[AlanDavid]

I suspect that the level of detail for the production of guns in April to categorically proof either hypothesis, is just not available; unless someone knows better?

But the preponderance of evidence that is available as enumerated in the above posts does point to the the first shipment of 180 guns being Savage manufacture, and so 748 of the first 750 guns also being Savage manufacture. Weather this is all beyond "reasonable doubt" is a matter of opinion...

 

The photo of Howard Craig is wonderful. Its the only photo I have seen of the American Squadron with a Thompson, has anyone else come across another photo of members of this unit with Thompson's? I have got a photo of them training with a number of "Potato Diggers", haven't looked at the photo in a while but think it was the Model 1914, rather than Model 1895.

The exact number of Thompson's and where they came from has a couple of different explanations depending on what source you read.

As to weather its a Colt or a Savage in the photo I don't know but the finish looks the same as my British marked 1928 Savage, but photos can be deceptive to say the least.

Regards

AlanD