Thompson Guns in British & Aussie Service

[rpbcps]

17 minutes ago, Mk VII said:

A number of US police departments reportedly modified them for drums after WW2.  Or somebody else could have ...

? First I heard about US Police Depts. Modifying Thompsons for drums.

[SP Sarge]

Also thought the weapon is in the UK?

[CF45]

15 hours ago, rpbcps said:

Can I ask who is selling the deactivation in question, a business or a private seller? I'd ask them for the Provenance, that it is a former SF weapon, sounds like a sales pitch to me.

A business, Battleflag Militaria.

Their reference to "may" have been SF I did take as a sales pitch purely based on the fact that the conversion is unusual. In marketing 'unusual' = special forces!

 

Thanks for the welcome guys!

[rpbcps]

SP Sarge, This deactivation is in the UK, so l doubt very much it will be a former US Police Dept. weapon, but that was interesting information all the same.

CF45, I know Fitos, I have done business with him in the past. In fact I bought the CMT pouches from him, mentioned in the post below, earlier this year. He charges top dollar for the items he sells, but comes up with some unusal items, like the CMT pouches.

 

[Mk VII]

Yes, I know Fitos as well, known him for years.  

[rpbcps]

15 hours ago, Mk VII said:

Yes, I know Fitos as well, known him for years.  

I'd say 'small world', but then again, there are not many reputable dealers in the UK, and not so many serious collectors.?

[rpbcps]

An interesting photo from 1940/1941 period, with a Royal Navy rating armed with a Model of 1928 Thompson.

At that period, the Royal Navy, was still using the Pattern 1908 webbing equipment . Which is what drew me to this photo initially.

The sling that is fitted to the Thompson is not the usual SMLE slings, typically found on the Pre- Lend Lease British Thompsons.

Any thoughts on what it is?

Edited December 15, 2025 by rpbcps
Added question...

[SparksNArcs]

That 'sling' looks suspiciously like the belt he is wearing, buckle certainly seems to match.

[rpbcps]

8 hours ago, SparksNArcs said:

That 'sling' looks suspiciously like the belt he is wearing, buckle certainly seems to match.

Good observation, I never noticed that. 

However looked on the Karkeeweb website, a useful source of information, and possibly located it.

http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/no_pattern/weapons/slings.html

Looks like it may be a Lewis Gun Sling.

We already know that Lewis gun pouches were used by British forces, including the Royal Navy, to carry Thompson L Drum mags in 1940 / 41

www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?/topic/26732-lewis-gun-pouches/#comment-239771

 

 

Edited December 19, 2025 by rpbcps
Added ref to Lewis mag pouch.