British Machine Gunners' Waistcoat

[206thCEF]

Hi,

I know the machine gunners' waistcoat was used mainly with the Vickers gun but I was wondering was it also used for carrying the Lewis gun?

Does anyone knows if period photos exist showing this type of coat in used either with the Vickers or theLewis?

Regards, 206thCEF

[trenchtrotter]

Hi,

If you mean the very short over jacket that covered the shoulders and upper torso only then the only picture I know of is the two MG troops taken at Ovillers in the early stages of the Somme. These items were issues into the 50s I believe and a large amount appeared on the market ten / fifteen years ago from Austrailia?

Regards

TT

[juno-44]

Hi TT,

Yes, this is the type I am talking about and I presume without a date it becomes impossible to know if the one I have is circa W.W.1?

Could you please post the two photos you have showing this coat in use?

Regards, 206thCEF

[Andrew Upton]

Yes, this is the type I am talking about and I presume without a date it becomes impossible to know if the one I have is circa W.W.1?

Could you please post the two photos you have showing this coat in use?

This is the well known shot mentioned above, there is another version of the same crew but taken from below and behind. This shows the waistcoat on the gunner quite clearly. I can't recall ever seeing a Lewis gunner wearing them, but given their somewhat impractical nature it is rare to find any shots of them in use:

http://www.google.co...9QEwAg&dur=1895

Just dug out some photo's of my repro:

And in doing so found the following post by Joe Sweeney which shows they were at least on issue to Lewis gunners:

"Posted 21 August 2009 - 02:48 AM - Andrew is correct the Capes were special made and not cut down Greatcoats. In fact Capes for Machine Gunners RACD pattern 8066/1914 was approved on 19 June 1914. These would eventually be supplied at a rate of 8 pairs per section of 4 guns in a Bde MGC and 4 pairs per section of 2 Lewis guns."

[Joe Sweeney]

Don't forget about Hotchkiss Gunners!

Here is a link to a magazine issue where I had an article on Machinegunners special issue clothing.

http://militaria.his...nuary-2013.html

Photos of any of it in use are rare as hens teeth.

Joe Sweeney