laststandonzombieisland

“Studio portrait showing a British army paratrooper surrounded by his weapons and equipment. Private A Basey, 1 Parachute Regiment is shown wearing the uniform of red beret, Denison smock, overall trousers, boots, puttees, PX parachute and reserve. Laid out on the ground in front is his personal equipment container with helmet, a general purpose machine gun in sustained fire role, Carl Gustav 84mm recoiless gun with round, and a [9mm L2 Sterling] sub-machine gun.”

The Sterling, designed by one Mr. Prachett in the last days of WWII, was standard with the British Army throughout the Cold War and last saw service in Iraq in the first Gulf War. Replaced by the SA80/L85 and in some cases the M16-style HK417 in the past couple decades, many Paras in the Falkland Island Campaign during the battles of Goose Green and Mount Longdon picked up surplus Argentine FN FAL’s at the first opportunity to extend their engagement range past the 9mm’s envelope.