In 1914, all infantry battalions were equipped with a machine-gun Section of two guns, which was increased to 4 in February 1915. However, production of weapons did not keep up with the expanding army, and the BEF was still 237 guns short of the full establishment in July 1915. The Vickers Company could, at most, produce 200 new weapons per week, and struggled to to that. Contracts were placed with firms in the USA, which were to produce under licence.

The experience of fighting to date had proved that machine-guns required special tactics and organisation. The BEF established a Machine-gun School at Wisques under Major C. Baker-Carr, on 22nd November 1914, to train new regimental officers and machine gunners, both to replace those lost in the fighting to date, and to increase the number of men with MG skills. A Machine Gun Training Centre was also established at Grantham.

On 2nd September 1915, a definite proposal was made to the War Office for the formation of a single Machine-gun Company per Brigade, by withdrawing the guns from the Battalions. They would be replaced at Battalion level by Lewis guns. The Machine Gun Corps was created by Royal Warrant on October 14th, 1915, followed by an Army Order on 22nd October. The MGC would consist of infantry machine-gun Companies, cavalry machine-gun Squadrons, and Motor Machine Gun Batteries. The pace of reorganisation depended on the rate of supply of Lewis guns. It was completed before the Battle of the Somme. The Base Depot of the Corps in France was established at Camiers.

A further proposal to provide each Division with a fourth Company, and to increase the Lewis guns at the Battalion to 16, was sanctioned. The Lewis numbers increased by 1st July 1916, but the Divisional Machine Gun Company did not come into existence until April 1917.

A total of 170,500 officers and men served in the MGC, of which 62,049 became casualties.

In 1914, each machine-gun Section had two Maxim guns, served by a subaltern and 12 other ranks. The obsolescent Maxim had a maximum rate of fire of 500 rounds, so was the equivalent of around 40 well-trained riflemen.

Shortly after the formation of the Machine Gun Corps in October 1915, the Maxim guns were replaced by the Vickers, which became a standard gun for the next five decades. The Vickers machine gun is fired from a tripod, and is cooled by water held in a jacket against the barrel. The gun weighed 28.5 pounds, the water another 10. The tripod weighed 20 pounds. Bullets are assembled into a canvas belt, which held 250 rounds, which would last 30 seconds at the maximum rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute. Two men were required to carry the equipment, and two the ammunition. A machine gun detachment also had two spare men.

In 1914, the Lewis gun was in experimental stage. The Lewis gun was a shoulder-controlled air-cooled light automatic weapon, weighing 26 pounds, and loaded with a circular magazine containing 47 rounds. Rate of fire up to 700 rounds per minute, in short bursts. At this rate, a magazine would be used up in 4 seconds. The Lewis was carried and fired by one man, but he needed another man to carry and load the magazines. Lewis guns were supplied to the army from July 1915; initially to six selected Divisions, and then to more as they were produced in increasing numbers. The original official establishment was 4 per infantry battalion (and per cavalry regiment), but by July 1918, infantry battalions possessed 36 each, and even Pioneer battalions had 12. This very significant increase in battalion firepower enabled new infantry tactics, and the collecting of Vickers guns into machine gun specialist units.

There are many, many instances where a single well-placed and protected machine gun cut great swathes in attacking infantry. However, it was found that multiple machine-guns, firing in interlocking fields of fire, or in coordinated barrages, were an incredibly destructive weapon. Increasingly, the infantry took advantage of this, as did the MGC.

The machine guns of the 2nd and 47th Division fired an indirect barrage over the heads of their advancing infantry, and behind the German trenches (in other words, this was an interdiction barrage, to stop German attempts to reinforce or re-supply their front, during the Battle of Loos, on 25th September 1915. This was possibly the first time an indirect fire tactic was borrowed from the artillery.

Later, and certainly by the Battle of Messines, machine gunners were also employing creeping barrages, with fire falling ahead of the artillery barrage to catch troops moving to the rear. They would concentrate fire on specific targets, or sweep the enemy ground behind his front and support positions. Machine guns for these tasks were generally placed about 1000 yards behind the advancing infantry, and were moved up as soon as the enemy positions were captured. Machine gun tactics had in fact, become more like those of the artillery than of the infantry.

Most Machine Gun Companies took their number from the Infantry Brigade to which they were attached, e.g. the 91st Brigade included the 91st Coy, MGC. Divisions also had a Machine Gun Company under Divisional command, making four in all. By June 1918, the four MGC Companies were formed into MG Battalions, under a Lieutenant-Colonel, taking their number from their Division, e.g. 7th Division included No 7 MG Battalion, MGC.

Motor Machine Gun units

Guards Machine Gun Regiment

This page is dedicated to the memory of the officers and men of the Machine Gun Corps, and to that of the regimental Machine Gunners. The targets of every enemy weapon, they well earned the nickname of the Suicide Club.

'Saul has slain his thousands; But David his tens of thousands'
Inscription on the Hyde Park memorial to the MGC