Anyone have a copy of Laidler's "Guns of Dagenham"?
- Thread starter Claven2
- Start date
Thanks, is that a total of both mark 1 and 1* lumped together as far as you can tell?
Claven 2 ,...I hope this helps.
This stuff is an extract from the book that I put together for another forum..... it perhaps goes somewhat further than just the answer to your question.
The first contract was June 13, 1941. (50,000 guns) at 14 Pounds each.
Last contract October 9, 1943.
The Four Lanchester Assemblers:
Lanchester assembly contracts were actually awarded to three firms:
Sterling (two plants) Total production until October 1943 – 74,579.
Sterling assembly of the Lanchester was split between the Sterling Engineering Co Ltd in Dagenham (code marked S109) and the Sterling Armaments Company in North Hampton (code M619)
W W Greener – production 16,990
Boss & Co. – production 3,990
Some early guns do not appear to be code marked at all except by serial number prefix of ‘S’, ‘A’, or ‘SA’.
Quantities Produced:
Sterling (two factories; codes S109 and M619): at least 74,579
Greener (code M94): 16,990.
Boss (code S156): 3,900
Production over 28 months averaged 3,410 per month.
According to contract records, Sterling was to have made guns serially numbered from 1 to 9999, then (S) A1 to about A64580.
MARKINGS:
Sterling-made MK.1 Lanchester guns are marked on top of the magazine housing.
Lanchester
MK.1
SA.
[‘S’ indicates Sterling manufacture and ‘A’ indicates serial number prefix]
12028A (serial number shown on the gun below.)
C.F. 39
[ Unknown code followed by small numbers].
The actual year of manufacture of any particular Lanchester can be found stamped in small almost indistinguishable numbers next to the “crossed flags” military proof mark on the top of the rearmost magazine housing flange that encompasses the casting.
Markings on Ex-Royal Navy Lanchesters.
After service with foreign forces, ex-Royal Navy Lanchesters have appeared on the international market recently.
These are marked with two broad arrows, point-to-point, stamped just before the serial number.
The point-to-point arrows, which appear as a six-pointed star, are sometimes accompanied by the letter ’S’.
These series of marks authenticates these guns as former UK Government ordnance stores sold to foreign governments.
Who got the Lanchesters?
50,000 Lanchesters: (nearly) All for the Royal Navy.) First contract June 13, 1941.
The first order was supposed to be split 50-50 between the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, which did not happen.
By this time the British Army had supplies of the Thompson, and they made it quite clear that the Thompson was what they wanted, so the Army kept the Thompson.
The Royal Air Force would immediately receive the 2,000 newly acquired Smith & Wesson 9mm carbines (smgs), for the defence of aerodromes and airfields now springing up around the country.
(Ironically the RAF had originally requested a copy of the German MP38.)
A later factory modification of the Mk 1 appeared as the Mk 1* during the latter part of the war.
The fire-selector lever was eliminated on this weapon as it was capable of full-automatic fire only.
Converting the Mk1 Lanchester to Mk1*.
The conversation from Mk1 to Mk1* specification was easily achieved by simply removing the select fire lever in front of the trigger guard, and the tripping lever fixed to the left side of the trigger frame.
Claven2 ...I have not seen a breakdown of production numbers between the Mk 1 and Mk 1*.
Probably difficult to clarify because of the factory alterations of the Mk 1 guns.
David
This is a Lanchester Mk 1*. (Modified to CA.)
Markings on two 50-round Lanchester magazines, S.E.Co made by Sterling Engineering Co Ltd.
Bayonet lugs are incorporated on the gun to accept the 1907 pattern bayonet.
The bayonet shown below was manufactured by Wilkinson.
This stuff is an extract from the book that I put together for another forum..... it perhaps goes somewhat further than just the answer to your question.
The first contract was June 13, 1941. (50,000 guns) at 14 Pounds each.
Last contract October 9, 1943.
The Four Lanchester Assemblers:
Lanchester assembly contracts were actually awarded to three firms:
Sterling (two plants) Total production until October 1943 – 74,579.
Sterling assembly of the Lanchester was split between the Sterling Engineering Co Ltd in Dagenham (code marked S109) and the Sterling Armaments Company in North Hampton (code M619)
W W Greener – production 16,990
Boss & Co. – production 3,990
Some early guns do not appear to be code marked at all except by serial number prefix of ‘S’, ‘A’, or ‘SA’.
Quantities Produced:
Sterling (two factories; codes S109 and M619): at least 74,579
Greener (code M94): 16,990.
Boss (code S156): 3,900
Production over 28 months averaged 3,410 per month.
According to contract records, Sterling was to have made guns serially numbered from 1 to 9999, then (S) A1 to about A64580.
MARKINGS:
Sterling-made MK.1 Lanchester guns are marked on top of the magazine housing.
Lanchester
MK.1
SA.
[‘S’ indicates Sterling manufacture and ‘A’ indicates serial number prefix]
12028A (serial number shown on the gun below.)
C.F. 39
[ Unknown code followed by small numbers].
The actual year of manufacture of any particular Lanchester can be found stamped in small almost indistinguishable numbers next to the “crossed flags” military proof mark on the top of the rearmost magazine housing flange that encompasses the casting.
Markings on Ex-Royal Navy Lanchesters.
After service with foreign forces, ex-Royal Navy Lanchesters have appeared on the international market recently.
These are marked with two broad arrows, point-to-point, stamped just before the serial number.
The point-to-point arrows, which appear as a six-pointed star, are sometimes accompanied by the letter ’S’.
These series of marks authenticates these guns as former UK Government ordnance stores sold to foreign governments.
Who got the Lanchesters?
50,000 Lanchesters: (nearly) All for the Royal Navy.) First contract June 13, 1941.
The first order was supposed to be split 50-50 between the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, which did not happen.
By this time the British Army had supplies of the Thompson, and they made it quite clear that the Thompson was what they wanted, so the Army kept the Thompson.
The Royal Air Force would immediately receive the 2,000 newly acquired Smith & Wesson 9mm carbines (smgs), for the defence of aerodromes and airfields now springing up around the country.
(Ironically the RAF had originally requested a copy of the German MP38.)
A later factory modification of the Mk 1 appeared as the Mk 1* during the latter part of the war.
The fire-selector lever was eliminated on this weapon as it was capable of full-automatic fire only.
Converting the Mk1 Lanchester to Mk1*.
The conversation from Mk1 to Mk1* specification was easily achieved by simply removing the select fire lever in front of the trigger guard, and the tripping lever fixed to the left side of the trigger frame.
Claven2 ...I have not seen a breakdown of production numbers between the Mk 1 and Mk 1*.
Probably difficult to clarify because of the factory alterations of the Mk 1 guns.
David
This is a Lanchester Mk 1*. (Modified to CA.)
Markings on two 50-round Lanchester magazines, S.E.Co made by Sterling Engineering Co Ltd.
Bayonet lugs are incorporated on the gun to accept the 1907 pattern bayonet.
The bayonet shown below was manufactured by Wilkinson.
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