The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Some of the most irresponsible and fun firearm purchases and obsessions I’ve had throughout my life have often come from the world of media.

Whether that’s television, films, or even video games, the guns that show up in these mediums are often what get a lot of people (like me) into guns in the first place. In honor of that, I figured it’d be great if we occasionally went through some of the newest shows, films, and games to see what kind of guns and gear are featured in them to examine their real-world histories and specifications, as well as see how faithfully they’re being represented on the silver screen and elsewhere.

Let us know what films you guys have seen recently that you’d like us to cover and also let us know what some of your favorite representations of firearms in film are!

About The Film

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare isn’t your average war movie and I mean that in the most endearing way possible. The plot of the film revolves around an oft-forgotten period of WWII – specifically the 1940s during the formation of what was then called the “Special Operations Executive” or SOE.

The SOE can be looked at as the progenitor of Britain’s modern-day MI6 with the SOE’s main goal being to carry out espionage, guerrilla warfare, and sabotage behind enemy lines. The film’s plot draws heavily from Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII, a non-fiction book written by Damien Lewis.

The film draws heavy inspiration from the real-world Operation Postmaster: In this mission, the organization set its sights on a seemingly unremarkable enemy supply ship docked in the neutral port of Santa Isabel in Spanish Guinea. With a blend of cheeky audacity and meticulous planning, these literally unsung heroes slipped into the port under the cloak of darkness, boarded the vessel, and seized control right under the noses of both enemy and neutral forces all while taking no losses.

The hijacking of this ship was a calculated strike aimed at crippling Axis supply lines and delivering a clear message to the Axis powers that the Allies could strike them anywhere – even in neutral territory. Operation Postmaster and by extension, the formation of the SOE gives us the perfect backdrop for some tasteful historical representations of some of our favorite WWII firearms.

Let’s kick things off with the highly recognizable and much-loved Sten gun—a true workhorse born out of necessity both in real life and also in this film. During World War II, Britain needed a simple, cost-effective solution to arm its soldiers as did other allied countries. While we Americans eventually got the M3 Grease Gun, the Brits dutifully and beautifully produced the Sten: a no-frills submachine gun that was as rugged as it was reliable and inexpensive.

The specific Sten found in the film is the Sten Mk II(S) which featured an integral suppressor developed at the request of SOE Major Hugh Reeves who would eventually go on to develop the Welrod Pistol.

• Caliber: 9x19mm
• Rate of Fire: Roughly 550 rounds per minute
• Weight: Approximately 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs)
• Magazine: Typically 32 rounds

On-screen, the Sten is actually shown off pretty well in terms of both its representation and actual use case. Serving as the main weapon of our heroes the Sten is shown to be an effective close-quarters weapon when employed in hit-and-run as well as surprise attacks. The boat scene at the beginning of the movie actually sets the tone for the sub gun’s use throughout the film.

I especially enjoy that in some scenes the operatives are seen using the gun without a heat wrap for the suppressor, but in other scenes, you’ll notice the cloth grip laced around the suppressor – It’s a fun nod to its real-life reputation as the Mk II(S) had a nasty tendency to heat up too quickly if fired in full-auto often rendering the gun too hot to touch even with the cloth grip. The recommended employment of the Mk II(S) specifically called for “short controlled bursts” rather than indiscriminate mag dumps.

Not often found in films and even less so in the hands of collectors is the Beretta Model 38— Italy’s own dedicated submachine gun. Although slightly more adorned with furniture than its Sten counterpart, the Model 38 was also built using cheap stamped parts. However, unlike the Sten which was made well after the war started, the Model 38 was already in the hands of Italian Military and Police units as far back as 1938, a full two years before Italy joined the war.

The Italians, however, did not like the idea of giving this submachine gun to their military units which only saw limited distribution of the sub-gun. The Model 38 in its original configuration would mostly serve alongside Italian police throughout the war. A modified variant was later adopted by the Italian military in limited numbers and for only a few specific types of tasks.

• Caliber: 9×19mm Parabellum
• Rate of Fire: Roughly 500 rounds per minute
• Weight: About 3.6 kg (8 lbs)
• Magazine: Typically uses a 20-round detachable box magazine

In the film Model 38 is used by the Italian sailors aboard the Duchessa d’Aosta as well as some soldiers in port who attempt to fire at the now-commandeered supply ship. Although the gun itself doesn’t get a lot of screen time or attention, it’s a nice inclusion to keep the whole movie grounded as opposed to just going the lazy route and giving all the bad guys MP40s. This is one of the few examples of a historical firearm that often gets more attention in modern video games than it does in modern film.

No WWII film would be complete without the Lee-Enfield rifle but in this film, it’s more of a nod rather than a full-on parade. This classic bolt-action of the British military rightfully shows up in a film in the form of the Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk III* SMLE (Short-Magazine Lee Enfield) Rifle. However, rather than in the hands of British Soldiers, the Enfield rifle instead finds its way into the hands of some allied operatives who are arranging a meetup with some German officers during a somewhat casual range session – part of the arms smuggling activity that serves as the purpose for the raid by the SOE operatives.

Gun Review: Lee-Enfield SMLE MkIII*

• Caliber: .303 British
• Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds
• Action: Bolt-action
• Weight: Approximately 4.1 kg (9 lbs)

It’s a bit of a tossup as to whether or not the Germans would have been smuggling Lee Enfields into and out of Spain. Although the German Army did run short of artillery ammunition towards the end of the war, I highly doubt their soldiers, no matter where deployed to would ever be left without the Whermacht’s tried and true Karabiner 98k. Ironically the K 98k (below) gets about as much screen time as the Enfield does in the movie.

4. MP40

Praised by virtually everyone for its hefty design, smooth 600 rpm cyclic rate, and effectiveness on the battlefield, the MP40 has rightly earned its place as both an iconic piece of firearms history, as well as a frequent supporting character on the silver screen. The MP40 was widely deployed by all departments of the German war machine as well as supporting Axis forces.

• Caliber: 9×19mm Parabellum
• Capacity: Typically a 32-round detachable magazine
• Action: Blowback-operated, open bolt
• Weight: Approximately 4 kg (8.8 lbs)

Similar to real-life reports of captured MP40s being used to supplement or replace allied Thompsons or Grease Guns, the MP40 as seen in the film is used by both friend and foe. This gives us a clear nod to the fact that the MP40 was not only widely adopted during the entirety of the War, but it was also quickly adopted by allies who found themselves lucky enough to be behind the muzzle of the MP40 instead of in front of it.

A hero in its own right of not just one but two world wars, the M1911 is a legendary albeit often overlooked sidearm when it comes to WWII-themed films. In the film, we see our heroine Marjorie Stewart handling the weapon during the range scene, as well as in the hands of Anders Lassen as portrayed by Alan Ritchson. I can’t find any good historical sources on the use of suppressed 1911s during the Second World War, but it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility. This is one of the more fantastical albeit cool firearms representations in the film. What’s not to love about a suppressed 1911?

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Magazine Capacity: Typically 7 rounds
• Action: Semi-automatic
• Weight: Approximately 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs) unloaded

By WWII 1911 was already almost 30 years old and had seen widespread adoption across the entirety of the US Armed forces. From high-ranking officers to air and vehicle crews, the 1911 pistol was established as and remained the standard issue sidearm of the United States armed forces until its replacement by the Beretta M9 in 1985. However, even today, modern replicas of the tried and true American sidearm are still made in great numbers.

As I said earlier, the film’s inclusion of the 1911 pistol would already be sort of out of place given the characters involved, but I could also make the excuse that using an American weapon during a clandestine boat-stealing operation from neutral territory might make it less likely for the enemy and the angry natural nation to pin down who did it.

Final Thoughts

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare was one of the more interesting watches I’ve had in the last year and even though I wouldn’t exactly call it a “gun guy movie” it’s definitely got some neat firearms representation for those of us who really love our WWII action flicks. I think this film actually is one of the best examples of blending firearms (action-oriented items) into a largely plot-driven film. The film itself is mainly focused on the planning and eventual execution of the theft of a ship from a port – something that real men went and did without the support or acknowledgment of their own militaries. The guns are there merely to immerse you into the era and setting but they’re also the very tools by which the operation is made even remotely possible both in the film and in the real world event.

For anyone who’s ever marveled at the blend of real-world firepower and cinematic artistry, this movie serves as a mostly accurate reminder of why these guns continue to fascinate us and why I think they’ll keep coming up in movies well into the future.

In the meantime, I can wholeheartedly recommend the film to anyone who enjoys WWII films, heist movies, or just likes to see WWII guns on screen represented in a mostly-accurate way.