I am trying to collect information for the next lot of figures.One set I would like to get done is the above.From what I have gathered so far by 1918 the Lewis team consisted of 8 men (!!!!) I have good pic's of the Gunner but very little on what gear the rest would be wearing carrying.
I doubt each Lewis gun was served by eight men! Usually, I think, it would be two (machinegunner and sidekick keeping up the ammo, providing an alternative target for the opposition to shoot at, etc.) Light machine guns revolutionised the infantry battalions of course. Need more research but, at a quick glance, each platoon ended up with a Lewis section, the other three being rifle sections. Sections are usually 8-12 men. Multiply that by 4 platoons per company and 4 companies per battalion, if each Lewis section had two machine guns that gives 32 LMGs per battalion - when I read elsewhere they had 36 during the late war maximum. Perhaps Bn HQ gobbled up the other 4.
Anyway, the current or recent practice in sections with a light machine gun is for all of the other section members (riflemen) to carry as much spare ammo for it as possible. The machinegunner has his hands full with 20-something pounds of weapon and whatever other kit required for the battle-order of the day, his sidekick is loaded up like a mule with spare ammo and his own rifle, etc. and all the rest have have as many belts (or drums as it would be for the Lewis) as they can manage in addition to their own weapons and kit. I think that would be the picture for late WW1 - 2 LMGs (usually fairly widely separated) each served by 2 men, one firing, one changing magazines and scrounging replacements.
A section in the BEF was 14 men, according to the books I've read. There are slight discrepancies in the maths when working up through platoons (60), companies (240) to battalion (circa 1000), which I can only guess depend on the inclusion or not of the officers in those numbers. I have a vague idea in mind that there might have been four men in a team, but may be wrong. Four may only apply to the heavier Vickers (in order to carry the tripod, etc), but I have a vague idea that the number of men allocated for a Lewis was surprisingly high, simply because most were tasked with carrying the supplies - the magazines for which I think are more accurately termed "pans", because the rounds are held in a different manner from drums.
From "MACHINE GUN NOTES NO. 1" 1916... Desert Warfare..
"7. The establishment of one N.C.O. and six men was found adequate for infantry units. In the case of mounted units, an increase of two men, to act as leaders of pack animals and horse holders, appears necessary."
Haven't looked further yet but as this is early I would expect the numbers to increase as the war went on so 8 men for Infantry in 1918 may well be reasonable this is mostly for ammo but it does say Rate of Fire is not affected up to 66% casualties (presumably 4 of 6 men)... so all would in effect be capable of taking the position of Gunner.
Unfortunatly no pics yet... early days
No1 and No2 have revolvers. 11 Canvas magazine carriers per gun. Each loaded mag weighs 4.5 pounds.
Cheers
-- Edited by Ironsides on Wednesday 29th of January 2014 09:57:57 AM
Please note that the first photo in Bernie's post has been "flopped" at some point, so the left and right are back-to-front. Note the driver's cab on the wrong side of the Pierce-Arrow, and, more obviously, the registration plate.
Please note that the first photo in Bernie's post has been "flopped" at some point, so the left and right are back-to-front. Note the driver's cab on the wrong side of the Pierce-Arrow, and, more obviously, the registration plate.
Well spotted that man, you know I'd never noticed it had been flipped. here it is again the right way around.
