The Lanchester is a submachine gun ("machine carbine") assembled by the Sterling Armament Company, W. W. Greener and Boss & Co between 1941 and 1945. It is an evolution of the MP28/II and was manufactured in three versions, the MkI, MkI* and the MkI**. The British Admiralty decided to join with the RAF in adopting the new weapon and played a key role in its design, mainly in insisting on the inclusion of a bayonet fitting. Ultimately, it was within the Royal Navy that most of the Lanchesters that were produced went into service.
It was given the general designation of Lanchester after George Herbert Lanchester, who was charged with producing the weapon at the Sterling Armaments Company, the same company that later produced the Sterling submachine gun. and are now collector's items.
A large number of Lanchesters were subsequently sold off to foreign nations. These are often marked with two broad arrows, point-to-point (appearing as a six-pointed star), stamped just before the serial number. This symbol is sometimes accompanied by the letter "S" and denotes "Sold out of Service".
During the resistance war against France, Vietnam used a number of Lanchester submachine guns, probably from captured war booty or purchased through secret channels from Thailand and Malaysia.
A number were acquired by Chile, Egypt and Argentina after purchasing former Royal Navy warships; those were often sold as “complete package” with everything aboard including the weapons locker. It was used during the Be'eri massacre as well.
Users
- : In service until the 1970s
- : Bought by the Dominican Army in the 1950s; used by the Constitutionalists in the Dominican Civil War of 1965.
- : Inherited from British forces after independence; more were purchased between 1946 and 1947. Used by frontline military units until 1967. In 1969 remaining Lanchesters were transferred to the Central Security Forces; they remained in service with police until the 1980s.