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The Vickers Machine Gunand the development of machine gunnery in the
Great War
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association.A not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, registered in England. Company number: 0755802.
The Vickers Machine Gun - Introduction
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun - Description
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun - Description
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Gun, Machine, Vickers .303-inch, Mk. I• Water-cooled: Approx. 7 pints. ‘Normal’
rate of fire (one belt every two minutes) boils after 600 rounds then loses 1½ pints for every 1,000 rounds fired.
• Recoil-operated: Cyclic rate of fire of 450 to 550 rounds per minute. Toggle mechanism.
• Feed: 250-round ammunition belt. .303-inch Mk. VII (later Mk. VIIz) ammunition. Effective up to 2,900 yards.
• Weighs up to 40lb (with water). Length 3ft 7½ ins.
Mounting, Tripod, .303-inch M.G., Mk. IV• Originally introduced for the Maxim in 1906.• Weighs 48lb.
The Vickers Machine Gun - Description
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun - Description
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun - Description
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun –Development
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Vickers manufacturing:• Erith factory
• 1912 onwards• ‘L’ (light) series guns initially
• Crayford factory• 1916 onwards
Minor changes following trials, but otherwise as the ‘1908’ Light Pattern Vickers Machine Gun
Same design of gun throughout the war, with minor exceptions, mostly for speed of manufacture.
The Vickers Machine Gun –Development
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
1915 gun:• ‘five-arch’ top cover• Fluted jacket• Milled side plates• Milled small
components• Complex tangent
sight slide
1918 gun:• Single-arch top cover• Smooth jacket• Smooth ‘slab’ side
plates• Mass-produced
components
The Vickers Machine Gun – British Service
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun – British Service
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Increased to four guns per Section in February, 1915.
The Vickers Machine Gun – British Service
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun – British Service
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun – British Service
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun – British Service
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunners
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
No. 1:• Armed with:
• Revolver• Main duties:
• The firer• Carries the tripod into
action.• Ensure the mechanism is
working correctly.• Place tripod in secure
position.• Repeats all orders.• Observes his own fire.• Makes necessary alterations
of elevation and direction.• Most proficient at laying and
holding MG fire.2
13
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunners
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
No. 2:• Armed with:
• Revolver• Main duties:
• Carries the gun into action.• Assists No. 1 at the gun.• Mounts the gun on the tripod.• Attend to feeding the gun.• Watch for signals from section or
Brigade MG Officer.• Generally assist No. 1.
• Second most proficient at laying and holding MG fire.
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Nos. 3 and 4:• Armed with:
• Rifles• Main duties:
• Ammunition carriers.• No. 3 takes first supply to the gun.• No. 4 takes ammunition from
limber (or dugout) to gun.• Arrange for spare parts to be
brought up from Box.• No. 3 responsible for ensuring
condenser is at gun before water boils.
• No. 4 administrates spare equipment.
• No. 3 is third most proficient at laying and holding MG fire.
• No. 4 is most proficient at belt-filling.
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunners
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Nos. 5:• Armed with:
• Rifles• Main duties:
• Scout• Duties as ordered by Section
Officer
Nos. 6:• Armed with:
• Rifles• Main duties:
• One No. 6 is a Range-Taker• The other is a spare man
Note: Later, the Range-Taker was a specific post in the Section so both Nos. 6 were spare men.
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunners
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Direct Fire• Target can be seen• Minimum of two guns (Sub-
section)
Indirect Fire• Target obscured (e.g. fog,
landscape, smoke)• Minimum of four guns
(Section)
Machine gun fire creates a ‘beaten zone’
Rates of fire:• Rapid: 1 belt per minute (250 rpm)• Normal: 1 belt per 2 minutes (125 rpm)• Slow: 1 belt per 4 minutes (c60 rpm)
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunners
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunnery
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Direct Fire - Defensive
Traditional view of machine gun use:
‘Swinging traverse’‘Traversing fire’
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunners Direct Fire - Offensive
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunnery
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Indirect Fire
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association – www.vickersmg.org.uk
Neutralising fire Harassing fire Barrage fire (creeping, standing and to cover raids)
The Vickers Machine Gun – Machine Gunnery Indirect Fire
The Vickers Machine Gunand the development of machine gunnery in the
Great War
Thank you
© Vickers MG Collection & Research Association.A not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, registered in England. Company number: 0755802.
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