German machine guns on Somme

[Guest Peter Wadman]

In order to better appreciate the the difficulties and strategies of the British attacks on the Somme, particularly on the first day, could some one please tell me what was the effective range point blank of the german machine guns ie horizontal trajectory and more importantly the effective range in arc fire before becoming spent. ie harassing fire beyond the front line etc. Thanks.

[Chris Henschke]

These technical details for the MG 08 are taken from Handbook of the German Army in War, April, 1918.

Details of '08 machine gun.

Limit of sighting..........................................2,200 yards

Extreme range (at 32 degrees elevation)......4,400 yards.

However, some captured documents indicate training at more reasonable ranges. For example, one captured document indicates a Course of Instruction in Machine guns at Brasschaet, near Antwerp. On this course "the greatest range employed is 800 metres (875 yards)."

Chris Henschke

[Desmond7]

Peter - weapons are not my strongpoint. However, I do remember a posting not so long ago which probably has relevance to your query. Try keying the words 'beaten zone' into the search facility. You will have to search in the 'older' category.

Hope this helps.

Des

[PhilB]

I`ve got the impression that the effective range of the German MGs was irrelevant on 1/7/16. They could hardly miss. Would that be a fair appraisal? Phil B

[Desmond7]

I do know that three seperate MG teams did a TREMENDOUS amount of damage to 12th R I Rifles on 1 July. And their ammunition expenditure was not astronomical ... which leads me to believe - as is regularly stated - that the German MG teams were very efficient indeed.

As for long range harrassing fire ... can't answer that one.

[PhilB]

Des, my MG experience is limited to the Bren (if you don`t count the Sten), but I wouldn`t have thought much skill was called for on the Somme, skilled though they undoubtedly were. Phil B

[Desmond7]

And when those troops who actually reached the wire were 'funnelled' into kill zones it no doubt made the job a great deal easier.

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

Most if not all of the heavy machine guns on the Somme were equipped with a prismatic sight that allowed accurate aiming at almost any distance in range. The guns had been placed in positions that provided the greatest field of fire, manned by dedicated crews who were well trained. The guns had target cards that provided range details for any target in their zone and plentiful ammunition was at hand. If I recall correctly the 26th R.D. front, south of Serre to Ovillers had a total of 72 heavy M.G.'s on hand on 1 July. They were quite effective.

Ralph

[6th Shropshires]

One prismatic sight