Welrod facts for kids

The Welrod is a special type of pistol that was created in Britain during World War II. It was designed to be very quiet, almost silent, thanks to a built-in sound suppressor. The name "Welrod" comes from "Welwyn Garden City," where it was developed, and "rod," which was a slang word for a gun.

This unique weapon was made for secret agents and resistance groups who needed to operate without being heard. About 2,800 Welrods were made during the war, and around 14,000 in total, including those made after the war.

How the Welrod Was Developed

The Welrod was invented by Major Hugh Reeves at a secret British research center called Station IX. This center was located near Welwyn Garden City. All the secret equipment made there had names starting with "Wel," like the "Welbike" (a small motorcycle) and the "Welman" (a mini-submarine).

Major Reeves also designed other clever tools, like the "sleeve gun." This was a single-shot gun that could be hidden up a person's sleeve.

The Welrod was mainly used by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). This was a secret organization that helped resistance movements in countries occupied by enemies. American agents from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and other resistance fighters also used the Welrod.

The Welrod was a "sanitised" weapon. This means it had no markings that showed who made it or what country it came from. It only had a serial number and some mystery symbols. This was done so that if it was found, enemies couldn't easily trace it back to Britain. The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) made some of these pistols but added no markings themselves.

The first model was the Welrod Mk II, which used .32 ACP bullets. Later, because of some issues in the field, the Welrod Mk I was made. This version used more powerful 9×19mm Parabellum rounds.

Welrod's Design and Features

The Welrod looks like a simple cylinder, about 1.25 inches (32 mm) wide and 12 inches (300 mm) long. It's designed to be very simple and quiet.

• Parts of the Gun:
  • The back part holds the bolt, which is how the gun is loaded.
  • The middle part has a special barrel with small holes. These holes help to release the hot gases when the gun is fired.
  • The front part contains the suppressor, which has rubber parts called "wipes" and metal parts called "baffles." These slow down the gases even more.

• Loading and Handling:
  • To load the gun, you turn a knurled (bumpy) knob at the back and then pull and push it.
  • The magazine, which holds the bullets, also acts as the grip for your hand. You can remove it to make the gun look less like a weapon, almost like a bicycle pump.

• Quiet Firing:
  • The special barrel with holes helps to reduce the sound of the gun firing. It lets the gases out slowly into the suppressor.
  • It also slows down the bullet to "subsonic" speeds. This means the bullet travels slower than the speed of sound. If a bullet goes faster than sound (supersonic), it creates a loud crack, even with a suppressor.
  • The baffles and wipes in the suppressor further quiet the gun by spreading out the release of gases. This prevents a sudden, loud explosion.

• Sights:
  • The Welrod has sights with glow-in-the-dark paint. This helps users aim in low light conditions.
  • It was most effective when fired very close to the target. The end of the gun was even shaped a bit hollow to help reduce noise during a contact shot.

• Bolt-Action System:
  • The Welrod uses a "bolt-action" design. This means you have to manually move a bolt to load each bullet.
  • This design is simple, reliable, and very quiet. The only sound is the firing pin hitting the bullet's primer. The bolt itself can be moved quietly.
  • Magazines were made to hold either six or eight bullets.

How the Welrod Works

To fire the Welrod, you manually operate it using the bolt. You pull the round knob at the back, load a bullet, and then push the knob back into place.

The trigger is simple, and there's a safety switch at the back of where the magazine connects. The magazine holds six or eight bullets, depending on the type, and it also serves as the handle you hold.

In 2002, experts tested the Welrod and found it was very quiet. It reduced the noise by a lot compared to a regular pistol. One expert even said it was "Hollywood quiet," meaning it sounded like guns in movies that are almost silent. At 15 feet away, the sound of the Welrod was barely noticeable in a quiet place. If the gun was touching the target, the person firing it wouldn't even hear it in a noisy environment.

Welrod in Action

During World War II, there was a plan in 1943 to drop Welrods into German-controlled areas. The idea was for resistance groups to use them to secretly target enemy officers. However, this plan might have been changed or stopped after a major event called Operation Anthropoid. This was when Czech resistance fighters assassinated a high-ranking Nazi official. After that, many innocent civilians were arrested, and two villages, Lidice and Ležáky, were destroyed in revenge.

The Welrod was used in Denmark during the war and was also dropped into several other countries. It was reportedly used in the 1982 Falklands War, during a long period of conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles, and during Desert Storm by British Special Forces. Welrod guns were also found in hidden weapon stashes from a secret operation called Operation Gladio. American Special Forces soldiers also used the Welrod during the Cold War and the Vietnam War.

See also

• Brügger & Thomet VP9
• De Lisle carbine
• PSS silent pistol