Conceived in the early 1940s, the Sten emerged as a response to the urgent demand for a reliable, cost-effective submachine gun that could be rapidly produced in large quantities. Designed by Reginald V. Shepherd, Harold J. Turpin, and George William Patchett, the Sten’s utilitarian appearance belied its effectiveness in the hands of soldiers fighting on the front lines. Carried by the soldiers of the British Commonwealth throughout the war, the Sten saw action in every theater, from the European front to the jungles of Southeast Asia. Its distinctive side-mounted magazine and open-bolt design became a symbol of the grit and determination of the men and women who fought against tyranny.