Vickers machine gun, one of the best infantry weapons ever produced

[montie]

Hi guys,

 

I see precious little said about this machine gun. When I was in infantry training (5 SAI, based in Ladysmith, Natal) during 1978 -1979, this was still part and parcel of some Infantry platoon's training, mostly for base protection. Made a big impression on me! Even made a model of it during Border Service but don't have any pictures:cry:

 

Here is a link for the write-up http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol012rd.html

[ferrettkitt]

Hi guys,

 

I see precious little said about this machine gun. When I was in infantry training (5 SAI, based in Ladysmith, Natal) during 1978 -1979, this was still part and parcel of some Infantry platoon's training, mostly for base protection. Made a big impression on me! Even made a model of it during Border Service but don't have any pictures:cry:

 

Here is a link for the write-up http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol012rd.html

 

Is the Vickers still in use anywhere?

 

Looking at the write up it seems rather late for that type of weapon to still be in some type of use by the British Army 1968.

[steveo578]

ferrettkittIs the Vickers still in use anywhere?

Probably not, I don't think the usual suspects for using old kit -India and Pakistan has any, certainly Pakistan use MG3 for heavy support weapon.

 

I think that 1968 date for last service in the British Army is an admin. date for the withdrawal of British forces from Borneo, where Vickers were retained for base defence by special forces.

 

The last official use by regular infantry was by Guards battalions probably few used after Suez

 

Steve

[ferrettkitt]

Probably not, I don't think the usual suspects for using old kit -India and Pakistan has any, certainly Pakistan use MG3 for heavy support weapon.

 

I think that 1968 date for last service in the British Army is an admin. date for the withdrawal of British forces from Borneo, where Vickers were retained for base defence by special forces.

 

The last official use by regular infantry was by Guards battalions probably few used after Suez

 

Steve

 

Thanks for the info Steve

 

I do remember seeing an army display which had a Vickers on display in Sale town centre, it must have been mid eighties. Long time ago.

 

I also recall something an the news about the Army recreating a 1st WW1 machine gun section 1990's?

[steveo578]

ferrettkitt

I do remember seeing an army display which had a Vickers on display in Sale town centre, it must have been mid eighties.

 

In 1992 I recall seeing a 25pdr being towed along with 105mm light guns on the M11 near Stanstead airport, as I'd been on a stag night-day/night:nut: I determined that me and drink were not compatable:shocked:

 

I also recall something an the news about the Army recreating a 1st WW1 machine gun section 1990's?

 

Wasn't that something to do with a Wilfred Owen bi-og? with Lewis guns?

[montie]

According to this link:

 

In the latter half of 2001, South Africa destroyed her reserve stocks of Vickers MMG's, some 2250 in total, in both .303 British and the unique South African 7.62 NATO conversion, http://www.saaaca.org/links/SIG/vickers.htm

Edited August 14, 2010 by montie

[montie]

Here is a vid as well.

[montie]

I found the the old newspaper clip of the models we ( me and a fellow soldier) made during our two years National Service in the South African Army.

 

 

 

 

[Tony B]

when Vickers went out of British Service, the old controversey of would one fire a million rounds no stop came up. RAE and Warminbster decided to dispose of the old stock .303 Mk 7 rounds by finding out. apart from barrel changes the gun did fire 1000,000 rounds, and was then stripped and examined. the weapon was found to be in safe functional order. I've also seen one in 7.92 mm.

[Richard Fisher]

Just picked this up.

 

The Vickers was last used in British active service by the Royal Marines in 1974. The MG Platoon commander is a member of the Western Front Association and I've met him on a couple of occasions when I have taken some of my Vickers collection for display at their events. The last Army use was 1966 by the Parachute Regiment in the Radfan. It was used alongside GPMGs as, I believe a heavy support weapon with the GPMGs in the Rifle Companies.

 

I was contacted in 2006 by a member of one of the more rural police forces in India who was after some foreign-language manuals on the Vickers that he could use to train the MG section that they still had. Apparently the four-gun platoon was used for 'riot control'!

 

Hope that is of interest.

 

Regards

 

Richard