My First Thompson

[gtbehary]

I just traded for my first Thompson. I should have it on Tuesday. It is a semi-auto M1 from Auto Ordnance, West Hurley. I am thinking of getting it converted to a SBR. I will more than likely use the Thompson gunsmith recommended here on this site.

gtbehary

[hawksnest]

Congratulations. But we must warn you - be careful. Thompsonitius is infectious, incurable and expensive. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/ph34r.gif

[colt21a]

and may it be a masculine one.lucca brozzi

 

take care,ron/colt 21a

 

 

do you remember paladin???

[gtbehary]

QUOTE (colt21a @ Jan 15 2004, 08:15 PM)

do you remember paladin???

Have Gun Will Travel

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Reads the card of a man

A Knight without armour in a savage land

His fast gun for hire heeds the calling winds

A soildier of fortune is the man called Paladin

Paladin, Paladin, where do you roam

Paladin, Paladin, far far from home

[colt21a]

QUOTE (Arthur Fliegenheimer @ Jan 15 2004, 09:07 PM)

Reads the card of a man A Knight without armour in a savage land His fast gun for hire heeds the calling winds A soildier of fortune is the man called Paladin Paladin, Paladin, where do you roam Paladin, Paladin, far far from home

richard boone {r.i.p}he also played the bodyguard german/soldier in the 1951 }"desert fox" with james mason.......the brits used the tommies in the opening scene, even paladin had that connection to the gun.........

 

kinda like the kevin bacon thing................

 

take care,ron/colt 21a

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

colt21a,

Richard Boone was out of action in "Halls of Montezuma" with a head cold, but he still managed to get Richard Widmark to locate the Jap rockets. The fact that the Brits/Commandos used Thompsons so frequently, like the raid on Rommel, is how they picked up the name "Tommy".

[SecondAmend]

Arthur, I must respectfully disagree as to the origin of referring to British soldiers as "Tommy's."

 

Tommy (1892)

 

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o'beer,

The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."

The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,

I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

 

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";

But it's ``Thank you, Mister Atkins,'' when the band begins to play,

The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,

O it's ``Thank you, Mr. Atkins,'' when the band begins to play.

 

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,

They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;

They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,

But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

 

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";

But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,

The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,

O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

 

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep

Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;

An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit

Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

 

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy how's yer soul?"

But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,

The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,

O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

 

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,

But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;

An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:

Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

 

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind,"

But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind,

There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,

O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

 

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires an' all:

We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face

The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

 

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"

But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot;

An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;

But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

 

 

Rudyard Kipling

(1865-1936)

 

 

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Second,

You were right to point out my clumsy error in suggesting that the usage of "Tommy" for a Brit solider began in 1939 WWII. What I should have expressed more intelligently is that Americans began to think of the Thompson as a British weapon since newsreels depicted them carrying the gun in every operation. This then seemed logical to the novice observer that the Thompson was named after the British "Tommy," as rediculous as that may sound since the TSMG was referred to as a "Tommy Gun", if not actually stamped on it until WWII, back in the 20's and 30's.

[SecondAmend]

Arthur, If I read the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office listing correctly, Auto Ord took out or claimed use of the phrase "Tommy Gun" in 1919. The PTO listing, to me, is awkward so I'm not sure.

 

I'm not sure if Kipling was the origin of "Tommy" for British soldiers. He may have been copying a prior reference.

 

Note the Kipling poem "Tommy" is the origin of the title "Thin Red Line" used for the book and movie.

[gtbehary]

I got it!!! It is really nice. It is in it's original box and it came with 4 mags. I knew that they were hefty, but I never handled one before. They are really hefty!! I can't wait to shoot it. I can tell that it is going to be my favorite gun. If only it were full auto.............maybe next time!

gtbehary

 

[john]

gtbehary, (whatever THAT means??)

 

Glad to hear someone so ecstatic about a new toy....enjoy it often as these things are really hard to wear out!

I have an A.O. Bridgeport and wish I'd bought more Thompsons and had started years ago!

 

No better time to get into this than the present!

 

Have fun and be safe!

 

john