Machine guns in British cavalry regtiments

[Ron Clifton]

Hello all

As far as the infantry was concerned, the process of re-equipping and reorganising machine guns was quite simple:

1. In Aug 1914 each infantry battalion had a section with two Vickers guns (or Maxims, which were being phased out in favour of the Vickers version.)

2. In early 1915 this allocation was doubled, to four guns per battalion.

3. In 1916 these sections were withdrawn and grouped into Brigade Machine Gun Companies. The infantry battalions each received sixteen Lewis guns in return.

4. In 1917 this allowance was increased to 36 Lewis guns per battalion.

5. In late 1917 a fourth company was added to each division, being combined in early 1918 with the brigade companies to form a divisional machine gun battalion. (There were also a few Army M/G Bns, formed from the Household Cavalry and some yeomanry regiments.)

I have only a partial picture of the comparable process for cavalry regiments. Can someone fill in the gaps, please?

1. In Aug 1914 each cavalry and yeomanry regiment had two machine guns. According to Equipment Regulations, these were Maxims.

2. Were these replaced by Vickers guns or Hotchkiss, and when? Was the allocation increased to four per regiment some time in 1915?

3. In 1916 the sections were withdrawn from regiments and grouped as Brigade Machine Gun Squadrons, each with twelve Hotchkiss guns in six sections.

4. I believe the cavalry regiments were NOT issued with Lewis guns in exchange?

5. There were no additional divisional squadrons, and the existing ones were not grouped into divisional units.

Any pointers on the highlighted items would be appreciated - thanks in advance. Comments on the other points would also be welcome if you think I've got it wrong, although I am fairly certain on these points.

Ron

[Steven Broomfield]

Mr C, some of this has been discussed before on This here thread

Sadly, foolishly even, I am at work till 8 so not home till 10; consequently I won't get to my book piles tonight, but tomorrow evening i will have a rummage for any questions unanswered by then.

[pmaasz]

I can add only a little to your enquiry. According the QOOH history Hotchkiss guns were first issued to cavalry regiments in April 1916. By this time the machine-gun sections (Vickers) had been transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry). We have in our archives photos of QOOH troops with Vickers guns. I am sure the guns that transferred were not Hotchkiss, which were, and were regarded as, automatic rifles and not machine-guns.

[Robert Dunlop]

2. Were these replaced by Vickers guns or Hotchkiss, and when? Was the allocation increased to four per regiment some time in 1915?

4. I believe the cavalry regiments were NOT issued with Lewis guns in exchange?

Ron, Maxims replaced by Vickers. 4. is correct. They were issued Hotchkiss automatic rifles (LMGs), late 1915.

Robert

[Ron Clifton]

Hello all

Thanks for your answers. The manpower figures I have show that a cavalry regiment increased from (a nominal) 549 all ranks to 577 all ranks in April 1915, which is consistent with a doubling of the machine-gun section. They also show that a cavalry machine-gun squadron (1916 onwards) was equipped with twelve Hotchkiss guns, and also say that thereafter the cavalry regiments did not have separate m/g sections. What they don't say is whether the regiments still had some Hotchkiss guns AFTER the m/g squadrons took most of them away.

Steven, than you for the link, which was very interesting - I don't often stray into the Paraphernalia section!

Ron

[pmaasz]

Ron: Again I can't speak for all cavalry regiments, but it is a fact that the Hotchkiss gun sections played a major role in the firepower of the Oxfordshire Hussars and there are many references in the history, War Diaries etc to the use made of them.

[Steven Broomfield]

The 11th Hussars, about February 1916:

In February, in conformity with the new policy for the training and handling of machine guns which had given birth to the Machine Gun Corps, the machine gun section left the regiment to become part of the 1st Machine Gun Squadron; this was formed of the machine gun sections of the three regiments of the Brigade, and it remained with the Brigade as a separate unit. The machine guns were replaced in the regiments by Hotchkiss guns, automatic rifles of French pattern, at the rate of one for each Troop. These guns were carried on pack horses, together with a first supply of ammunition. Two more pack horses in each squadron carried a further supply of ammunition. Every officer and man was instructed in the use of the gun ... Six of them arrived on the very morning the regiment moved in June ..

Additionally, it is mentioned that in September 1915, the establishment of machine gun per regiment had been increased to four.

(Lumley: The 11th Hussars 1908 - 1934)

I think, therefore, that the Hotchkiss replaced the Maxim/Vickers guns in early 1916, at an establishment of , which is 4 per squadron or 12 per regiment.

The regiment proceeded overseas in 1914 with an MG section of one officer (Lt D McM Kavanagh), one Sergeant (4721 W Turner), one Lance Sergeant, three Lance Corporals, a Shoeing Smith, and twenty Privates.

[Ron Clifton]

Thanks, Steven. I think that that clears up all outstanding points!

Ron

[Robert Dunlop]

It is important to clarify how the Hotchkiss light machine guns were utilised in the cavalry. They were issued to non-MG cavalry squadrons. The notion of the automatic rifles 'replacing' the medium machine guns can be a bit misleading. 'Replacing' really means that the intrinsic firepower of non-MG cavalry squadrons was increased by the addition of Hotchkiss LMG sections within the troops, in order to make up for the fact that the medium machine gun sections were taken away to form MG squadrons. It was not a case of MMG sections replacing their MMGs with Hotchkiss LMGs. The situation mirrored the introduction of the Lewis guns for the infantry.

Robert

[Ron Clifton]

Thanks Robert. Thanks also to pmaasz, especially for post #3 which I should have read more carefully!

It looks as if the notes I made about ten years ago, that cavalry machine gun squadrons were equipped with the Hotchkiss, are wrong. I can't recall whether I found this information explicitly or whether I did some careless extrapolation, knowing that "the cavalry" had the Hotchkiss from 1916 on. Careless extrapolation looks more likely!

Ron

[Robert Dunlop]

Ron, to be fair this is a tough one to sort out. The problem is that 'Hotchkiss' immediately brings to mind the MMG version.

Robert

[Joe Sweeney]

Ron,

This wont help with dates but the WE Part VIIa series 1 1918 (no. 1801)France shows that for a Cavalry/Yoemanry Regiment and Corps Cavalry Regiment (slightly different WE's) Hotchkiss (LMG) were authorized at 4 per Squadron.

The Machine Gun Squadron was authorized 12 MMGs --usually Vickers at this date.

I think you will find Cavalry mirrored Infantry in the transition of guns to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry)

Joe Sweeney

[Ron Clifton]

Thanks Joe. That seems to tie the matter up neatly.

I did make various notes from the WEs some years ago, but at that time I restricted my notes to the numbers of officers and men, the subdivisions of units into squadrons/batteries/companies, and which WEs superseded which. It still took several months of visits to Kew and I ended up with a database with several thousand items!

Ron