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Just home after presenting three weeks of training in Saudi Arabia. While there, to pass some of my downtime,I spent more time than usual on YouTube, and found some episodes of the 1960's Series Combat, that has been mentioned on the forum in the past. I also found 'Rare Uncensored footage from the Battle of Okinawa'. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aZTlJCdFNJs&pp=ygUyUmFyZSBVbmNlbnNvcmVkIGZvb3RhZ2UgZnJvbSB0aGUgQmF0dGxlIG9mIE9raW5hd2E%3D In the footage during the first few minutes, I spotted a Thompson with an improvised vertical grip, added to a regular horizontal grip. Maybe the same weapon and soldier, but I spotted further footage of a Thompson with an improvised vertical grip at around 8:40 minutes in. That was some battle.

Remembrance Week This year, my wife and myself, together with with my friend and his wife, spent a memorable, although often poignant week of remembrance, visiting related sites both in England and France. We started with a visit to Fort Nelson to see the ‘For Your Tomorrow’, display created by Standing with Giants. A moving tribute of the 1,475 servicemen under British Command who gave their lives on D-Day. https://lnkd.in/eCbw3fJq We had an early start the following day, travelling to Caen by Ferry, and after a pleasant night in Tours, we traveled down to St. Leger. Here our old friend and his girlfriend, made us and his other guests very welcome. On the 11th we attended the remembrance ceremony at the memorial in St Leger, where the mayor and the residents made us very welcome. The following day we traveled to Bayeux and prior to checking into our hotel for the night, we visited the World War Two Bayeux British and Commonwealth war cemetery, where there are over 4500 servicemen buried. The following day we traveled to La Cambe German war cemetery, the largest 2nd World War German war cemetery in Normandy, where the remains of over 21,000 German servicemen are buried. We then traveled to Colleville-sur-Mer, and the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. This overlooks Omaha beach and honors over 9,000 American troops some of whom died on that beach in 1944. Finally, before going to Caen to catch the Portsmouth Ferry, we visited Pegasus Bridge. Last week was very significant to us and on occasions very poignant, thank you to everyone who made it all possible. Lest We Forget

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this video on Youtube when I was away training in Saudi Arabia. Jonathan Ferguson, keeper of firearms and artillery at the Royal Armouries in the UK, presents the Aluminium Model of 1928 that is in Royal Armouries collection. m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-rH3Qyu79M

Excellent, it is good to see you found all the magazines you needed to complete your magazine box?? What are the manufacturers details stamped into your box out of curiosity?

Tom, I believe Jake is referring to the British/Commonwealth soldered magazines.

Excuse my ignorance, to be honest I was unaware what unit the "504th PIR" were, I just looked it up. The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), was created on the 1st May 1942, as part of the 82nd Airborne. Stationed in North Africa ready for the Invasion of Sicily and Italy, where they saw heavy fighting and resistance from the German army. Early 1944, the 504th PIR were relocated to England and rejoined the 82nd Airborne, prior to D-Day and Op Market Garden. ? https://allamericanscp.org/504th-p-i-r/504_regimental_history/

Link to updates for Gordon's books.

The modified vertical forward grip, attached to the original horizontal forward grip, and the attaching two 30 rnd mags together is a good example of airborne improvisation. I presume the 'white strap' around the mags is only there for the journey. I could see that causing delays in mag changes in combat. Something airborne troops don't need when they hit the ground. The weight of two loaded 30 round magazines may put extra pressure on the release catch, therefore increasing risk of 'losing' the magazines? Here is a link to an earlier topic, together with some images, of soldiers with modified forward grips on their Thompsons.

I was watching James Bond in 'Octopussy' the other night. The opening scene shows a Half track. Didn't get a chance to see if it had a frame fitted though. ?

Invite a few friends around, if they are anything like mine, I'm sure they would make short work of it.

Are those two cell magazine pouches on left hand side of both airmen, Colt .45 pistol mag pouches?

I wonder how many of those chests are still around. One dealer I knew, imported thousands of Thompsons from the Ukraine in the 2000's. Once he unloaded the contents, for cutting as parts kits for the US market or deactivating for the European market, burnt all the cases He was telling me about this after I met him, long after the Thompsons had all gone, unfortunately. He was about to do the same with Bosnian AK /RPK packing cases, when I asked if I could have a few. He said he had no market for cases, and they took up to much storage space, hence his solution was burn them, which he did once I took out 1/2 a dozen Bosnian cases. I had no where to store more than that ?

This one? It would be good to keep all the GH SPK numbers in one place. Just found a link in a post, in that topic to another topic on the same subject from 2004. It'd be good to link these all together, if possible ?

Same photo, also a lot more, in an older topic, for your pleasure...

Chuck, That is kind of you to say that. Likewise, it will be good to meet you and all the other members on the forum, who have helped me with 'studies' of the Thompson history; and allowed me to add some nice pieces to my collection over the years ??

Tracie, I am hoping to get across to next year's Show and Shoot....but I have been saying that for some years and personal circumstances always seem to arise which disrupt my plans ? Richard

Great photos, as usual, gives me some ideas for improving my next display, over here in the UK.

"M1928 or M1921/1928 Overstamp (USN) Thompsons". As these photos were taken in the 1930's they would be M1921/1928 Overstamp. No Model of 1928's were manufactured as such until Maguire took over AOC and contracted Savage to begin manufacture of the Model of 1928s. All Thompsons prior to that would have originally been manufactured as Model of 1921s by Colt in 1921/1922, and subsequently modified to create Models of 1923, 1927 and 1928s.

That is interesting reading, thanks. Last night I scoured the internet for pictures of halftracks, hoping to find the TSMG frame in place, without success. Perhaps the frame is a rarer piece than I thought. Perhaps they were like the British transit chests produced for the UK / Commonwealth Thompsons in the early days, when they were planned to be distributed as unit weapons. At that time, unit weapons, such as Vickers, Lewis and Bren, were all stored in transit chests, as they were nobody's personal responsibility and were issued to whoever ‘signed for them’, from the units armoury. In June 1941, the decision was taken that the Thompson guns would be issued as a personal weapon and therefore the chests were no longer required, and became rarer items to find on the collectors market.

Thankyou for that link, much appreciated ?

"Marine at the back of the truck is armed with a Thompson 1921A submachine gun", Looks like is has a compensator, so would that not be an 1921AC in 1927? Still before the 'arrival' of the Model of 1928.

Here are some photos of the case with the frame, showing how it fitted. Never found a picture yet of one fitted in a half track, does anyone out there have one?

Nice pictures and well done on the paratrooper diorama. I see you have a British/Commonwealth soldered XX magazine in your collection too. Your 'zipper jump bag' is actually a Thompson canvases case issued with half tracks I was told. I have one, complete with it's metal frame in my collection, the metal frame was designed to attach to the half track.

Good shout Ross, I have two of those cases for the 1928A1's, both with no inserts. So I'd appreciate photos too, if possible Tracie ?? Richard

Nice reminder that the US Navy were using Thompsons before the US Army. Which reminded me, here is an old post that mentions the USS Luzon