Ungentlemanly Weapons! WW2 Secret Agent Special Guns

Special Operations Executive produced a series of ingenious firearms for use in Occupied Europe, including the Welrod and little known Welwand. Described by SOE as 'murder weapons', they were often used to assassinate enemy personnel and collaborators.
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
Visit my audio book channel 'War Stories with Mark Felton': • One Thousand Miles to ...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Sources:
- SOE Field Equipment', Military & History, 7 January 2022
- 'Welrod Pistol - Allied Assassination Tool', The Armory Life, 9 May 2023
- 'SOE: The Scientific Secrets' by Fredric Boyce & Douglas Everett, (The History Press: 2003)
Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; The Full 9'; Askild Antonsen; Gaius Cornelius; National Army Museum
Thumbnail: The Armory Life

[@2ndcomingofFritz]

“Ministry of ungentlemanly warfare” is perhaps the most British thing I’ve heard

[@tcschenks]

Henry Cavill movie under production.

[@sandraward116]

..now if they could put a muzzle on a cut loose prince talking about how many people he shot..my god..if ever there is a time to train a solder..but wasn't really a soldier was he..😔😔

[@DJJ81]

And it’s phenomenal.

[@davidallen8611]

Seriously 😂

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Gotta love it! Leave it to the Brits to come up with perfectly appropriate but unmistakeable in their meanings euphemisms!

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As a Dane, during our German occupation, we had secret factories producing Sten Guns, but also what looked like an old timer bike pump, with a wooden handle! it could be placed on a bike, as one, but with an attached, extra handle they were able to fire a single shot, intended for killing known Danish traitors. We have some preserved in our newly rebuilt "Liberation Museum" (The original, built from wood, became destroyed by an arsonist fire some years ago, but most items inside became sawed).

[@AldoSchmedack]

Watch the movie Munich with Daniel Craig and others and tell me what you see similarity wise!

[@mitchmatthews6713]

Never a dull video with Mark Felton!

[@RogerThat787]

He's been heavily into prostitution

[@nathanwilson3081]

Here here... or I mean agreed.

[@ridethecurve55]

Wasn't the STEN the device that tried to do in Hyrich around the corner? Had it worked as advertised, the poor lads wouldn't have had to meet their fate in a sorry state they did. No thanks to the SOE in this case, and I'm still cricket over this one! The STEN? No thank you.

[@queensapphire7717]

My favorite for WWII weapons history.

[@marioluna2957]

Mark Von Felton👍

[@granitejeepc3651]

my great uncle worked for High Standard here in USA and made surpressors for .22s during the war and after for OSS

[@shawntailor5485]

The first pistol I ever shot was pas high standard .it's wonderful to me .

[@AldoSchmedack]

Get his stories wrote down or on video. Bet he has some interesting ones!

[@christophercarlone9945]

Are .22's typically used for dirty work? I recall being told the Italian Mafia used to use them to take out targets at close range when someone needed to be taken care of.

[@marknonnenmacher1918]

I didn’t realize that the Sten submachine gun could use MP40 mags as well. Thats brilliant! Always an amazing gem from Dr. Felton, thanks!!

[@howardchambers9679]

Waterproof too!

[@boffo63]

Call of Duty didn't know either lol

[@vincentmueller3717]

The Sten mag is longer front-to-rear than the mp-40 mag. The PRC converted many steps to 7.62x25 Tokarev, and used the original 9x19mm mags. Too long for a mp-40, but perfect fit in the German Mp-28.

[@kevinoliver3083]

It depends on the manufacturing tolerances of individual guns and magazines. Some Stens will run with some MP40 mags and some MP40s will run some Sten mags.

[@allongshanks940]

I have been lucky enough to hold/examine a Welrod and was told it is still the quietest suppressed weapon ever made. All be it rare, but still being discovered in lofts of little old ladies, who were unaware of what their other half had been up to. Never knew about the Welwand, until now. Thank you.

[@garrick3727]

I've never heard of the Welwand, but as a kid I was getting bullied to distraction by this guy on the bus home from school who kept threatening to burn me with his cigarette, holding it close to my eye or cheek, so I actually tried making something similar using a compressed gas cylinder and a nail - sort of like an up your sleeve nail gun (although we didn't have nail guns back then). In the end, I realized how crazy this was - plus I couldn't get it to work very well - so instead I just walked home from school. But had I had a welwand, I can't promise I wouldn't have used it.

[@AntonioPerales-bb8pm]

Bullies? What kind of a creepy world is this where my precious children can't bully weirdos in the classroom and playground, I ask you. How else do you force kids to fit in?

[@EdMcF1]

A guy at my secondary school made a replica Sten gun in metalwork class, we were amazed but looking back that was exactly what the design was about.

[@Nick_B_Bad]

I just finished rebuilding a Sten MK IV from a parts kit. They’re so neat and simple.

[@Jack908r]

The sten gun was pure genius in my opinion. The Brits needed sub machine guns, lots of them. But had your typical constraints on cash, and materials. It wasn't the best sub machine gun, but it was 100% suited for the need. They could pump them out and drop the behind enemy lines, and suddenly ever resistance fighter in Europe has a sub machine gun. Brilliant.

[@keithammleter3824]

I assume that schoolboy made his replica a long time ago. I was in high school in the early 1960''s and lived in a farming area. Most of the students lived on surrounding farms. Farmers always had guns. Often their teenage children were expected to use them. My father was very strict on gun safety, teaching me when I still in primary school. I had got a .22 to replace an air rifle and sold my air gun to another student. There was no problem bringing the gun to school (disassembled and without the ammunition of course) to hand it over. These days, a teenager bringing a gun to school, regardless of it being real, air, or replica, would trigger a full scale lockdown and black-clad heavily armed police running around everywhere, helicopters, the lot.

[@EdMcF1]

@@keithammleter3824 Early 1980s, at a school with a Cadet force where most of us had some shooting lessons.

[@keithammleter3824]

@@EdMcF1 Ah! That makes sense.

[@annehersey9895]

Mark, you must NOT forget one of the most inventive Brits of WWII-Cecil Vandeveer Clarke (Nobby Clark). Clark invented so many things for SOE like the Limpet mine, spigot gun, underground tank and many many other! He worked with many others at Aston House, SOE Station XII. YOu REALLY need to do an episode on this place-it was incredible and Nobby was incredible~

[@Sumatra2030]

The name doesn't sounds Brittish it's not van de veer but Vandepeer is Dutch or Belgian. That's the name of his fathers familytree. From origin Vandepeer is from Belgium, Antwerpes/Anvers and north Vlamen region.

[@richardbaxter2057]

Indeed....especially the silent spigot mortar trial that went awry....and nearly killed the next door neighbour (luckily it was the local Vicar and God was pleased to spare him....and his deck chair) 😎🤪😂

[@AldoSchmedack]

Agreed! ❤

[@r2gelfand]

"The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare"--How distinctively British!

[@model101t800]

Hands down the best World War II historian, I am now reading The Devil's Doctors, shocking book btw

[@i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b]

Bravo Dr Mark! This is the only military history show my wife will watch with me. Bravo!

[@chriskelly929]

The Welwand is sheer brilliance - single shot that retains the brass, trigger next to the muzzle, heavy enough as a melee weapon if necessary. Thank you, Mark!

[@sturmovikcarr7289]

"...like a magicians wand to dispense its own particular form of magic." I love it.

[@ogstopper]

Maldon's Combined Services Museum is a must-visit!!

[@fredfarnackle5455]

I take my hat off to all those brave SOE people who parachuted into enemy territory. If you haven't read any books about their bravery and dedication I recommend that you do so.

[@1951GL]

The Welrod was certainly in use in the 70s. The De Lisle carbine was incredibly quiet and tested, I believe, in central London to ascertain if pedestrians noticed a rifle being fired from a roof above them - they didn't.

[@Rutherford_Inchworm_III]

The DeLisle might well be the first truly "silent" weapon that actually still packed a punch. The .45ACP is relatively undisturbed by being suppressed, as it is already slow and functions mostly on mass. If you don't mind the 2-3 foot drop at 100 yards, it was quite lethal at that range. The bolt-action capability also meant you could knock off several quick shots to ensure a kill. The Welrod is .32ACP and manually loaded, so you'd better have the muzzle an inch from the back of his head when you pull the trigger, because if he survives even long enough to turn around he has an excellent chance of killing you before you can work the mechanism.

[@mrh678]

​@@Rutherford_Inchworm_IIII think that's why Mark said the end of the Welrod's Muzzle is purposely inset so it can be held tight against something.

[@timonsolus]

@@Rutherford_Inchworm_III : I'd suggest into the heart from behind. Much less messy. 9 mm allows captured German pistol and SMG ammo to be readily used.

[@KaliLite]

It is not a "rifle"

[@1951GL]

@@KaliLite Well aware of that - but it is how someone walking in the street would see it.

[@TheSaltydog07]

SOE appears in several episodes of the British crime mystery "Foyle's War" set in WWII England. I initially learned about SOE from watching this excellent series. I'm thrilled that Dr. Felton is speaking on it.

[@r2gelfand]

I never knew what STEN meant until today! Nor have I heard of any of the other weapons. Good Show Mr. Felton!

[@jackcavendish8900]

And you still don’t. The inventor said it stood for England

[@hieronymusvonlipschitz]

Jolly good show

[@allongshanks940]

Did you know the BREN gun got its name in a similar way? The Bren gun was a licensed version of the Czechoslovak ZGB 33 light machine gun which, in turn, was a modified version of the ZB vz. 26, which British Army officials had tested during a firearms service competition in the 1930s. The later Bren gun featured a distinctive top-mounted curved box magazine, conical flash hider, and quick change barrel. The name Bren was derived from Brno, the Czechoslovak city in Moravia, where the Zb vz. 26 was designed (in the Zbrojovka Brno Factory) and Enfield, the British Royal Small Arms Factory site.

[@InCountry6970]

Back in the nineties, I had the privilege of shooting the suppressed Sten and the Welrod. Both were interesting guns for sure, but the suppressed Sten was still pretty loud as it shoots from the open bolt. It was great to experience these fascinating weapons from WWII. Oh yeah, great video as usual Dr. Felton

[@RogerThat787]

You don't have to lie to hangout here

[@andrewgould8924]

​@@RogerThat787people do get to shoot firearms dude.

[@SamuraiAkechi]

I've read once about Soviet tests of captured suppressed Erma EMP. They claimed that it was about as loud as a rimfire plinker.

[@Jreb1865]

Odd... The suppressed Sten is one of the quietest guns ever. It and the Sterling are still in use today...

[@nickoakley69]

jealous, I really want one of those welrods

[@BabaEsconoir]

Welwand looks like a lightsaber. Truly magical.

[@tylerregelman5566]

Avada Kadava

[@ML-dl1cp]

My granddad (who had been with British Intel in Denmark during the War) made a fully-functional STEN clone in his shed shortly before he died in the 1980s. Evidently it was to win a bar bet. Once he completed it and proved it operational, he voluntarily surrendered it to the West Mercia Constabulary, the members of which must have been quite surprised. They, in turn, handed it off to the (nearby) SAS. Where it is now is anyone's guess.

[@kavemanthewoodbutcher]

Some operator is probably still using it to inconvenience enemies of the Crown.

[@llamatronian101]

Maybe in the Royal Armouries Museum. They have quite the collection of homemade guns.

[@richardbaxter2057]

Probably as surprised as the Officers in Whitstable, when an old chap handed in a fully functioning MG42, along with several hundred (possibly 2K) rnds of ammo......long time ago that, back in the mid seventies!

[@carltonleboss]

I was thinking the other day about whether Sun Tzu's The Art of War was still relevant in modern times, but then I realised that the British took "All war is deception" to an entirely new level during WW2

[@unclestuka8543]

The British are the masters of deception and bluff. It was amazing what the Germans fell for , culminating in the D day landings

[@erroneous6947]

I think Sun Tzu is based on human nature and will therefore always be relevant.

[@mattakins3557]

Well the Taliban defeated the entire United States military despite ENORMOUS disadvantages

[@86pp73]

​@@mattakins3557 Eh, more like the US defeated itself through its own stupidity. The White House walked America into Afghanistan with no serious idea on how they were going to defeat the Taliban, or setup a stable Afghan nation in the process. To make things worse, their own military had serious lack of knowledge on how to fight an insurgency war, and most of the allies they brought along had even less (Britain and Australia being the only exception)

[@RevMikeBlack]

You call them "murder guns." I prefer to call them Opposition Human Resource Managers.

[@erroneous6947]

Sneaky bastard guns.

[@mikeohagan2206]

little freedom fighters.

[@sdlillystone]

About "downsizing" the org then 😂

[@dennycraig8483]

I found one of these in Northwood. It didn’t have the magazine. But it did have a shell press. We used to find loads of old war stuff in our area, as we had plenty of ex army personnel residing in our area.

[@ek8710]

Was it dug up or in an abandoned property?

[@psu1]

Mark Felton always has a great job. He works hard and delivers great content!

[@witkocaster]

I would like to see a WW2 movie with an agent using all the modern gadgets at that time - silenced pistols, carbins, night vision devices etc.

[@loddude5706]

Hmm, Basil Don-Bond, Manfred Von Bond or Bondimoto of Kyoto? (so sorry : )

[@sadlife8495]

That would be really cool, like a spy mission where they have to go through France getting dropped off by a biplane and make their way into the east of Germany or something

[@suzyqualcast6269]

@@sadlife8495 or, 'just' helping to organizze middle F, via drops, (many of which remain stockpiled to this day).

[@HeisenbergFam]

Dr. Mark is one of the best educational channels, in my opinion

[@RogerThat787]

Love the username

[@maybev1nce]

You again

[@normfreilinger5655]

Absolutely 💯 . I’ve seen bits on the television too !

[@angryzergling7832]

@@maybev1nce It's a bot of some type.

[@Oldtanktapper]

A clone of the Welrod was marketed to vets, the idea being that it could be used in close proximity to other animals without disturbing them, in stables for example. I think it was featured on ‘Forgotten Weapons’ channel.

[@allangibson8494]

Brugger & Thomet VP-9. (Veterinary Pistol - 9mm) A 45 caliber version is also available as the “Station SIX”.

[@ianmurray4081]

I thought the Welrod looked familiar. Its distant cousin might be the first paint ball guns used by “ bored veterans “ who in the mid to late seventies borrowed the idea from veterinarians who used a “marker” type of gun for veterinarian purposes. Hmmm 🧐

[@keithammleter3824]

A very similar looking thing to the Welland shown in this video was featured in the British TV show "All Creatures Great and Small" - in one episode Mr Farnham has to put down a sick horse. He was shown loading the gun and discharging it into the horses' forehead. But since this show was set in the 1930's and they generally took care to get it right, I would say that the vet gun was the original, not the Welland. Vet guns including the one showed in the TV show are generally single shot (no magazine) which is all most vet surgeons need, and typically goes a very long time between uses. Sometimes a farmer will need to put down many animals - he will use his normal farm rifle for that. However, the Swiss Brügger & Thomet VP9 vetinary pistol used by government vets, which has a magazine, is said to be based on the Welrod.

[@allangibson8494]

@@keithammleter3824 In WW1 the British Army issued a humane horse destroyer which was a single shot pistol in the form of a tube. It was the Greener Humane Horse Killer.

[@keithammleter3824]

@@allangibson8494 Ah, that name rings a bell. That will be the one shown in the TV show, not a Welland look-alike.

[@thetruth1862]

An important note about the Thompson Submachine gun.Churchill loved the Thompson, the kits sold to the British came with two round drums, and 4 stick mags, as well as a thousand rounds of 45 apc.The contractor that supplied the cases , Savage Arms in New York , sold them for $225 for each weapon set compared to the $12 Sten guns. That's a huge difference in price and materials that made these cheaper and faster made guns a necessity.

[@extragoogleaccount6061]

Ah, that explains it! I've heard the $225 price point before (a video of Ian's I'm sure) so I was confused when Mark said $75. But that explains sooo much! Because I was also wondering how the heck the Thompson was THAT expensive for the time. It just didn't make any sense...so I'd been assuming the Auto-Ordnance company had been over charging the gov't in wartime, which isn't a good look. But yea, thanks for your info. It really makes sense with those drums being so expensive and 4 stick mags as well.

[@thetruth1862]

@@extragoogleaccount6061 Thank you glad I could clear this up , they where sold by the case with the ammo and the drum mags and box (stick) mags and I am sure they made money on the shipping as well so not bad for $200 plus , but not nearly as many got into the hands of soldiers as needed.

[@thetruth1862]

@@extragoogleaccount6061 I would like to know the story behind that famous picture of Churchill with a Thompson and a cigar , he was a great leader in a time of trouble.

[@peterkerr4019]

That must have been pre-war because the later Thompsons were changed to easier & cheaper to make & could only use the stick magazine & not the drums. Also, I believe that the Sten was full auto only & didn't have semi auto as a rule (from what I've watched of Forgotten Weapons).

[@thetruth1862]

@@peterkerr4019 you're correct !

[@petermorris3665]

I fired the Sten gun when I was in the TA in the 1980's. I also went to school in Enfield!

[@Mishima505]

The Soviets had some pretty devious weapons in the Cold War too, like the compressed air cyanide gun and not forgetting the poison-tipped umbrella.

[@danielrosic2960]

Yes! I was about to type out a comment, that without a pistol grip, the welwand would be better off with a spring operated bolt that pushes out a long sharp spike, hollow in the middle with a glass ampule of poison that would be shattered using energy from the spring as it deploys

[@AldoSchmedack]

@@danielrosic2960Hardly, at least a welwand has some distance to it even if only several feet. Otherwise you have to walk right up to someone and they would likely draw in time or at least scream or such. Poison is not as fast acting as a .32 to the noggin. There is a reason they chose what they did, don't forget they had similar devices with poisons back then before Soviets did and they still chose traditional means. So did America and others.

[@shawshank178]

0:30 great shot, the slow zoom out. The revolver in the other hand took me by surprise.

[@bele2.041]

Fun fact: Schematics for the STEN are ubiquitous online and anyone with access to some simple machine tools, basic materials and a little knowledge can easily craft one.

[@snowflakemelter1172]

I worked in a gun factory and made one from scratch, its not as easy as you imagine. Plus the fact that if its illegal you face very serious prison time.

[@MaZ2718]

Neat, time to become a spy 🤵‍♂️

[@petergray7576]

Fun fact: The Sten is basically a piece of plumbing that goes BANG! The British Army, in their search for an affordable SMG, asked for so little, and boy did they get it.

[@hoffmiermp]

Same with the M3 grease gun, brilliance in simplicity.

[@heiner71]

How do you make the barrel? Are they smooth bores?

[@johncollins7423]

As an American, I must admit I would love to acquire a nice old Sten gun. I've always admired the simplicity & effectiveness of its design. Its profile reminds me of the old American M3 Grease gun in a way, even though the Sten has the side magazine & different caliber.

[@johnklein233]

Another great video Mark, thanks for making it. Please follow this one up with a video about SOE sabotage devices.

[@scrappydoo7887]

I second that 👍

[@suzyqualcast6269]

If you do please try not to omit Brigadier 'Billy' Beytes, RIP, but last heard of out of Landsdowne House. Thank you.

[@joanofarc1338]

Dr. Felton your videos are consistently interesting and fascinating. The photos you used to illustrate your narrative were outstanding. Much obliged!

[@CarlosValenzuela-sx9xb]

6:47 An elegant weapon for a more civilized age.

[@Clipgatherer]

7:05 That Maj. Reeves certainly had some deadly tricks up his sleeve. 😊

[@alanfike]

Welrod used prominently in the Sniper Elite video game series, where I pretend I'm playing as my grandfather who wasn't a combat engineer in the US Army in North Africa, no! He was a commando sniper with the SOE/OSS who took out Hitler in 4 different locations depending on the game's bonus content!

[@michaelolatunji2100]

“…such as the back of a German’s head…” was not a line I was expecting but is understandable given the context of the video.

[@les3449]

I appreciate your explanations of certain acronyms used on weapons. I've never heard of many of them, even after 50 years of studying firearms history! As usual, very informative!

[@thegunslinger8806]

Pure Bond level gadgetry, i love it, the Wellrod is also festured in the hit role-playing game Fallout: New Vegas as the silenced .32 ACP, it can be concealed when entering any of the casinos or for stealthy take downs by players. Great to finally know its history.

[@stinkogresupreme8165]

I believe in that game the welrod is chambered for .22 ammunition as opposed to .32

[@clearview8851]

Unless your using mods the welrod is not in the game, its a ruger silenced 22.

[@bocagoodtimes1460]

I wouldn't mind one of those Lanchesters!

[@derekp2674]

You can probably buy a full deactivated one if you want. It won't be as much fun as a working one but it will be as heavy. I love the way they made the magazine housing out of naval brass or something like that.

[@vikingraider1961]

My mum was at SOE for a while - mostly in the New forest but also, for a time, in Welwyn Garden City (where a lot of this weird stuff was developed). She said that the worst bit was being sent down to the lab where they were trying to develop something called "Dog Drag" - a stinky concoction that was meant to put off tracking dogs - it never worked but, by god, IT STANK! She also said about the explosive experiments that would have a warning siren when there was going to be an explosion - one toot, it's going to be a bang - two toots, stop writing until after the "boom" - three toots "get under the table"!

[@kevinb.1891]

This video was remarkably informative…! In my opinion, it would be fascinating to learn more about the SOE and other secretive methods, techniques and practices of this and other WW2 outfits and organizations be it allied or axis related. Mark Felton productions takes all his viewers up close and personal in the videos he produces. I always leave with more knowledge then I did before viewing any of his vast collection of unique and unquestionably thoughtful videos! Thank you very much Mark, we all appreciate the tremendous amount of work you do in producing all of your videos!

[@ashively1]

Dr. Felton needs a weekly time slot on the History Channel!

[@theghostofsabertache9049]

Dr Felton is too good for the aliens/Alaska/ ice road truckers channel, he actually deals with history

[@ashively1]

@@theghostofsabertache9049 You are correct! I stand corrected! It used to be a history channel. Miss those days.

[@jacobhuff3748]

Would love to have a Welrod or Welwand but still have say despite the Sten's issues the fact it was only $11($4 less than the Grease gun) and functional is the best part about it.

[@allangibson8494]

The Thomson company was charging the British government $250 for each M1928 Thomson gun delivered. The $75 dollar price was what they were charging the US government for the later simplified M1 version.

[@centrica1234]

My grandfather was Q, an electrical engineer by trade, he was recruited into SOE and spent the war making exploding pens and bicycle pumps. Idea being an officer with no hands couldnt sign orders and lead. I would ask him what he did in the war and he was always dismissive and said he hid in bins a lot. He clearly spoke fluent German but i never heard him speak it once. A different breed, a very messed up generation but so brave.

[@centrica1234]

( A "Q")

[@fuferito]

I first saw the bicycle pump that doubles as a silenced gun in a very disturbing scene from the movie, _Munich._

[@jacklucas5908]

Which scene are you talking about? Would you mind telling?

[@StevenKeery]

@@jacklucas5908 : The scene was the two or three of them cycling along a tow path to a narrow boat. They dismounted and went aboard the narrow boat to kill the woman owner who had murdered, or had been complicit in the murder of their comrade. It is a good film, two of the actors are Daniel Craig and Ciaran Hinds. I can't remember the lead actor's name but he played the part of Hector in the film 'Troy'.

[@ArnoSchmidt70]

Wellrods can still be bought from B&T as the SIX9 "Vetenarian Pistol".

[@vordenkerkatastrophe9863]

The Mark Felton channel, is very interesting and always full, with a lot of unknown informations of the second world war. Nice greetings from Germany. 👍👏🇩🇪👏👍

[@CharlieTheNerd91]

My grandfather was an agent for the OSS. He left my mother's family when she was only 5. Ovr 50 years later the red cross contacted us with some information about her father where they learned that he had to leave them to protect them, he was captured, escaped, was captured on another mission, and executed.

[@nmr6988]

He was a true hero.

[@MPGunther1]

Mr. Felton, your using the correct terminology shows your professionalism and knowledge of the topic.

[@methodeetrigueur1164]

Interesting video. Two other weapons could also have been mentioned : - the FP-45 Liberator in .45 ACP (an American pistol parachuted by the British) ; - the DeLisle carbine with an integrated suppressor, in .45 ACP as well.

[@George-romanul1918]

Interesting video as always, thank you Dr. Mark

[@devildog4684]

Dr Mark is most important educational channel

[@ConveyApp]

I have collected full auto machine guns in the past. In the US you can purchase and own these weapons with additional steps, paperwork, and of lots of money. I had a few 5.56 select fire guns (AC556) I owned a MAC10, M11,(2) M11A1 (.380) complete garbage by the way, and a Sten MK2 with a pretty long suppressor attached to it. It was the most reliable select gun I have ever owned. It did not like aluminum or steel cased ammo, but any brass ammo it would eat up. I unfortunately no longer own any of those machine gun any longer. I had to sell them many years ago, but I still have fawned memories of my Sten that I owned.

[@wolfeyeforever]

“ to dispense its own particular kind of magic” lol. Such a good line

[@batterymakermarkii2654]

I wouldn't cry if you went over some of the clandestine radios ww2 spies used... 🙂

[@michealgillman7418]

Fantastic Mark...keep them coming. I thought I was reasonably well informed about ww2, as I've always been very interested in this period. But you take things to another level of information. I write this from my campervan in Saxony Germany 🇩🇪...regards Mick

[@manuelacosta9463]

The perfect weapons for stealthy wet work. SOE and related allied organizations sure had a knack for creating effective yet practical weapons for their operatives.

[@HighWealder]

STENs were manufactured by Lines Bros at their former toy factory on the Deerpark Industrial Estate between South Wimbledon and Morden. Apparently some components were redesigned by them as they specialised in sheet metal forming.

[@snowflakemelter1172]

They created their own version the MK III which was significantly different.

[@bimble7240]

Most were made in the Royal Ordnance Factory in Fazakerly, Liverpool in hundreds of thousands,

[@dutchman7216]

This was probably one of your best episodes thank you so much Mark.

[@Jared_Cunanan]

Concealed Weapons are quite rarely to see nowadays.

[@alundavies8402]

Is it because people are really good at hiding them ?😂

[@rupturedduck6981]

Was there a organization called Winston's Toy Store and the Department of Dirty Tricks ? I have heard references but nothing definitive and in a couple mentions in Hollywood movies.

[@johnklein233]

That was the Military Intelligence Research Department (MIR(c)) run by Major Millis Jeffries and Captain Stuart Macrae. Later renamed Ministry of Defense 1 (M.D.1.). They developed weapons like the PIAT, limpet mines, time pencils,etc. It was nicknamed "Winston Churchill's Toyshop". I recommend the book of the same name written by Stuart Macrae.

[@rupturedduck6981]

@johnklein233 Thank You 🔫 😎💼✏️✒️🧨📷📻🪄🪛🦯

[@birdmanfree1651]

As ever, amazing. Incredible but simple technology. Thanks again.

[@robertgerber2533]

Dr. Felton always comes through with interesting tidbits of history such as the connection between Q in the James Bond movies and a real life person

[@edamnaf9265]

Love Dr Felton's content!

[@madmanmechanic8847]

You never cease to amaze me Mark! This was so interesting thank you

[@donaldasayers]

At 0:52 you show a still from the film School for Danger aka Now it Can be Told. Seen front row facing the camera is Captain Harry Rée. Harry Rée was an absolute genuine hero, working for the SOE in occupied France and getting shot four times escaping from the Germans. Harry even got to star in the aforementioned film about the SOE. Later he had a renowned and influential career as a school teacher, being for a time Headmaster of Watford Boys' Grammar School, where I was a pupil. Alas he had moved on when I was there so sadly I never met him. Harry's portrait hangs proudly in the school hall. Mark Felton could/should do an entire episode on him.

[@petershen6924]

If I were there to do special operations, I would carry my M1903 Pocket Hammerless. It is super concealable.

[@RCAvhstape]

"Compared to 70 dollars for a Thompson" wow imagine only paying 70 buck for a class 3 Chicago Typewriter today...

[@pancho1993]

"It's own particular form of magic" brilliant!

[@shawntailor5485]

One of my uncles carried a welrod,gyrorocket,(1 of the things i "fixed", playing with it as a kid ,and a 30 carbine ,. He still had some rounds loaded with two spitzers .

[@mrw3617]

yet another phenomenal video, cheers mark.

[@beoxsgaming9388]

In an episode of "Person of Interest" (1.08 - "Foe"), actor Alan Dale plays a former member of the Stasi and uses a version of the Welrod pistol.

[@robinwatters572]

Addendum to the STEN story, A lot of them were made by the toy manufacturer Triang. They made pressed metal childrens toys. Apparently when the owner saw the drawings he went back to the ministry and said that they could modify them, and, make them even cheaper, by cutting out several production steps that were unnecessary. They went on to produce hundreds of thousands of Stens.

[@17cmmittlererminenwerfer81]

I'm very impressed with Dr. Felton's correct and precise use of weapons-related terminology. I hope that he's able to visit the USA someday, and spend some time hands-on with firing examples of these and many other period weapons.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

A wonderful historical coverage

[@richardpurves]

This is where I'd love to see a Mark Felton / Forgotten Weapons / Royal Armouries collaboration ;)

[@GypsyHunter232UK]

Dr Felton is the BEST..

[@johnhamilton4677]

Great video! SOE and OSS are my special interests, and I have approximately 150 books related to them. I also have some replica weapons and used to converse with Col Rex Applegate in the early 90's. It's also getting to be a relatively relevant subject considering the times we're living in.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

You'll have heard of, in passing, 'Billy' Beytes, yes. ¿?

[@johnhamilton4677]

@@suzyqualcast6269 Actually, I haven't. But, I'm interested.

[@mrackerm5879]

Your videos are always excellent. Very well researched, very well produced.

[@hotrodparker]

Your videos are gold Mr Felton. Many thanks to you!!

[@AndyJarman]

It would be interesting to hear just how quiet a welrod actually is.

[@krisfrederick5001]

I find it endlessly ironic that Hitler killed himself with a Walther PPK and not a Luger. Ace as always Dr.

[@vordenkerkatastrophe9863]

Hitler don't trust only a bullet, he also used to the same time a poison pill. It worked good. 👍🇩🇪👍

[@StevenKeery]

KrisFrederick: Well as the old adage goes, if you want a job to be done right, you have to do it yourself.

[@jimschofield8734]

It would be amazing to see a collab between you and Ian "Gun Jesus" McCollum of 'Forgotten Weapons' about obscure weapons of these kind.

[@moonsvc]

Fantastic video! Love your videos and keep up the work!

[@davidmowers5949]

This video is a happy coincidence as I just finished reading "Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" by Giles Milton. I had known separately about the Limpet mine, destruction of the drydock at St.Nazarie and the Norsk Hydro facility (Germany's Heavy Water plant), but did not know they were all fruits of the devilish minds at S.O.E. I highly recommend the book.

[@AgentGB1]

Always learning something new! Awesome video. Never heard that term either "The Ministry of ungentlemanly warfare" lol

[@57WillysCJ]

The modern version of the Welrod is the B&T VP9

[@thesagedwizard]

Amazing engineering under such pressure.

[@PLuMUK54]

Station IX was not in Welwyn Garden City, but the nearby, larger town of Welwyn. It was based in The Frythe, a luxury hotel when it was commandeered, that is 1.6 miles from the centre of Welwyn. Welwyn Garden City is nearby, but 2.8 miles away.

[@take5th]

When the show “the man from uncle” was on, they sold several secreted weapons gadgets as toys. My favorite was the box camera that became a pistol.

[@christopherjones4767]

Very Good ! Nice to have some info on some less well known wartime firearms. Seeing the guy firing the standard Sten gun, I would have been interested to see how it compared to the sound of a Sten fitted with a suppresser ...

[@jarniwoop]

Well done. I've heard of the Welrod and enjoyed your discourse on this historic weapon. Kudos!

[@josephking6515]

You didn't mention the "gun" that resembled the handgrip on the bicycle handlebars. It could be pulled out and discharged into the face of a German if the rider was stopped and felt they were in more danger than was usual. *Thank You* for the video Dr Felton. 👍

[@TheRavens77]

"Now pay attention 007"

[@oncall21]

Really enjoying your videos on firearms Dr Felton. Thanks for sharing.