What did happen to the mg at mons

[hudsonswhistle]

Just a quick question . can anyone tell me if the machine gun that was manned by lt Dease vc and pte Godley vc was ever recovered after being thrown into the canal at the battle of mons,and if so, is it on display somewhere regards hudson.

[Ron Clifton]

Bearing in mind that Godley became a POW, and that Mons was not re-taken until Nov 1918, it is unlikely that it was recovered. Quite literally, a lot of water had flowed under that bridge in the ensuing four years and it would have been difficult to find, especially if the battalion's other MG had been similarly disposed of.

Ron

[hudsonswhistle]

So given the importance of this machine gun i.e. the first vc's of the great war were awarded to the guys manning it shouldn't there be some sort of recovery put in place where it could be salvaged and put on display in the museum in Mons

[59165]

I'd imagine that the canals that were drained or suffered damage from conflict ,would have been dredged after the war to allow the passage of barges to continue.

Doubt if its still there now.

[hudsonswhistle]

So we wont get the snorkel and goggles out then Dave

[59165]

You dont need a snorkel,

big nose

[hudsonswhistle]

Oi