George Orwell fires a Sten gun

George Orwell's diary, 09-Aug-1942
Fired the Sten gun for the first time today. No kick, no vibration, very little noise, and reasonable accuracy. Out of about 2500 rounds fired, 2 stoppages, in each case due to a dud cartridge – treatment, simply to work the bolt by hand.

Clarifications:

  • Work the bolt by hand is not a euphemism;
  • Stense was not named after the Sten gun (nor vice versa).

Richard Carter

A fat, bearded chap with a Charles Darwin fixation.

6 comments

  1. Just back from Southwold (via the Orwell crossing of course) where young Eric's tailors still trade...took the opportunity of dipping my toe into matters Sebaldian by reading Rings of Saturn on location, as it were. What a stange but memorable book!

  2. I may just call in at the churchyard in Framingham Earl next time I'm down in the flatlands and tip my hat to him.

  3. I certainly shall, if and when I'm next in the area. Apparently, it's traditional to bring a pebble and leave it on the headstone. Some sort of German thing, I think. Or maybe a Sebaldian thing.

  4. I think it may be a Jewish tradition - although I'm not sure, and I have no idea whether Sebald was Jewish. I may take a hagstone from Southwold.

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