R.I.P. Scout26
The Remote Control Pistol, issued by the British Special Operations Executive during World War II. The RCP was developed as a last-ditch defensive measure for agents operating behind enemy lines. On December 27th, 1941, as part of Operation Chilblain, Karl Bruhn and Mogens Hammer parachuted into Denmark to establish SOE's initial presence and operational cell in Denmark. Unfortunately, Bruhn's parachute failed to open when the snap hook on the static line inside the aircraft detached. He plummeted to the ground and died on impact. German forces occupying Denmark found his body and equipment and were shocked to find this Mark I Remote Control Pistol in one of his bags.At the time, Danish and German police standard procedure for effecting an arrest was to lay a hand on the shoulder of the suspect while ordering them to put their hands in the air. In a situation like this, the RCP was a perfect weapon to counter any attempted arrest. Police forces in both countries changed their procedures after the discovery of the RCP.Mounted on the waist, and pointed forward, a cable went from the trigger up the sleeve to an actuator attached to a finger ring. The Mark II variant (picture 2) featured a bulky cover plate which hampered concealment but provided a more stable brace for the pistol when fired. The circular cuts at the bottom of the cover plate allowed for easier reloading of the pistol without removing the harness.Approximately 40-50 RCPs were produced under contract by the Wilkes Brothers gun shop in London for the SOE. It is believed that Czech agents were also issued at least one RCP for use during Operation Anthropoid in Prague, Czechoslovakia.I have previously posted about a similar OSS design, called the Hold-Up Gun. This SOE version was a substantially better design in almost all respects.
