More Lewis Gun Questions

[martin_sole]

A few questions for the experts:

1. Some guns seem to have the barrel shroud painted a khaki colour. Is this a WWI thing? If so, done in factory or in field?

2. Magazines with painted semicircles on top - WWI or later?

3. Did the metal carrying box for magazines have any sort of labelling on it, either stencilled or paper?

Thanks in advance.

[Dave1418]

Hi Martin,#

not too sure about point 1, however the box should be marked BOX CARRIERS MAGAZINES LEWIS .303 inch MK. I believe that the markings on the top of the drum are an aid to assist in the positioning the drum on the weapons so that they line up and drop into place. As opposed to placing the drum on and then rotating it until you find the correct position.

Dave

[centurion]

Hi Martin,#

not too sure about point 1, however the box should be marked BOX CARRIERS MAGAZINES LEWIS .303 inch MK. I believe that the markings on the top of the drum are an aid to assist in the positioning the drum on the weapons so that they line up and drop into place. As opposed to placing the drum on and then rotating it until you find the correct position.

Dave

If using the gun in action (either as an offensive weapon on a sling in an attack or as a defensive one in the face of a storm troop attack) I'd suppose that time to rotate it until you find the correct position wasn't a luxury readily available.

[martin_sole]

Hi Martin,#

not too sure about point 1, however the box should be marked BOX CARRIERS MAGAZINES LEWIS .303 inch MK. I believe that the markings on the top of the drum are an aid to assist in the positioning the drum on the weapons so that they line up and drop into place. As opposed to placing the drum on and then rotating it until you find the correct position.

Dave

Thanks Dave.

Do you have any pictures of the box markings you described?

[Joe Sweeney]

Martin,

No.1--This can be WWI--Khaki paint was specifically issued to paint Lewis Guns.

No.2--This was added particularly to aid in placing the magazine at night.

Joe Sweeney

[Andrew Upton]

Thanks Dave.

Do you have any pictures of the box markings you described?

http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/generalstorage/lewisgunarticle/7b.%201917%20dated%20mag%20tin.jpg

[martin_sole]

Martin,

No.1--This can be WWI--Khaki paint was specifically issued to paint Lewis Guns.

No.2--This was added particularly to aid in placing the magazine at night.

Joe Sweeney

Thanks Joe,

Is there a clue as to what shade "machine gun khaki" was? I have seen Vickers guns in various hues (no idea when they were painted) and a few Lewis guns painted in a dark sabd colour.

The vast majority of Lewis guns seem to have lived their lives unpaintesls

[martin_sole]

Martin,

No.1--This can be WWI--Khaki paint was specifically issued to paint Lewis Guns.

No.2--This was added particularly to aid in placing the magazine at night.

Joe Sweeney

Thanks Joe,

Is there a clue as to what shade "machine gun khaki" was? I have seen Vickers guns in various hues (no idea when they were painted) and a few Lewis guns painted in a dark sand colour.

The vast majority of Lewis guns seem to have lived their lives unpainted

[centurion]

This is a Lewis Gun thread - it was the Italian Villar-Perosa that was a twin gun

[dman]

Many Lewis guns were later used during WW II - mounts with 2 guns were common, particularly on small craft like MTB (motor torpedo boat) or

MGB (motor gun boats)

[centurion]

Many Lewis guns were later used during WW II - mounts with 2 guns were common, particularly on small craft like MTB (motor torpedo boat) or

MGB (motor gun boats)

Very true but still 2 separate guns on a double mount and used as such on aircraft in WW1 more than WW2 However I was making a (weak) joke about the double posting.

[Chris Henschke]

The issue of a special preparation of khaki paint for painting the casings of Lewis guns is approved on a scale of 1 pint per battalion in possession of these guns.
The painting should be done under regimental arrangement.

General Routine Order 1339, dated 27 December 1915.

This order was reprinted in publications as late as mid-1918.

Chris Henschke

[martin_sole]

The issue of a special preparation of khaki paint for painting the casings of Lewis guns is approved on a scale of 1 pint per battalion in possession of these guns.

The painting should be done under regimental arrangement.

General Routine Order 1339, dated 27 December 1915.

This order was reprinted in publications as late as mid-1918.

Chris Henschke

Thanks Chris

Is there an example of a gun wearing this particular paint that we know hasn't been re-painted at a later date?

[centurion]

The issue of a special preparation of khaki paint for painting the casings of Lewis guns is approved on a scale of 1 pint per battalion in possession of these guns.

The painting should be done under regimental arrangement.

General Routine Order 1339, dated 27 December 1915.

This order was reprinted in publications as late as mid-1918.

Chris Henschke

Given that the number of guns per battalion had increased ninefold in that period I'm surprised that the order wasn't revised to increase the amount of paint allocated