Picture of the day

Troops of the 8th Battalion, the King's (Liverpool Regiment, Liverpool Irish, 57th Division) entering Lille, 18 October 1918.

(Photo source #1 - © IWM Q 9574, #2 IWM Q 9579)
McLellan, David (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)

Colourised by Doug - Colourising History

h3o0y75.jpg


xkMrnis.jpg
 
^ Man do I ever love the Lewis gun and the history they have been part of. While others lust to fire a MG42-34 or 1919, etc in FA the venerable Lewis is on my must do list.
 
Buckmastr said:
Troops of the 8th Battalion, the King's (Liverpool Regiment, Liverpool Irish, 57th Division) entering Lille, 18 October 1918.

(Photo source #1 - © IWM Q 9574, #2 IWM Q 9579)
McLellan, David (Second Lieutenant) (Photographer)

Colourised by Doug - Colourising History

h3o0y75.jpg


xkMrnis.jpg
Click to expand...

Whoever does the colourizing on these always seems to get the brodie helmets wrong. They are not pea green, at least none I've ever seen.
 
9th Battalion, Black Watch, Snipers.
The Germans called them “Die Damen aus der Hölle”, or “ladies from hell” on account of the kilts and their hellacious fighting spirit.

diQiIHG.jpg
 
XRCD011 said:
^ Man do I ever love the Lewis gun and the history they have been part of. While others lust to fire a MG42-34 or 1919, etc in FA the venerable Lewis is on my must do list.
Click to expand...

I've fired a Lewis on a number of occasions. Their rate of fire is somewhat adjustable, depending how the gas and recoil spring is set. Odd seeing the drum rotating in front of your nose. I have an original manual for the Lewis. Sure complicated compared to a Bren. Lots of possible stoppages.
Sure wouldn't want to hump one.
 
tiriaq said:
I've fired a Lewis on a number of occasions. Their rate of fire is somewhat adjustable, depending how the gas and recoil spring is set. Odd seeing the drum rotating in front of your nose. I have an original manual for the Lewis. Sure complicated compared to a Bren. Lots of possible stoppages.
Sure wouldn't want to hump one.
Click to expand...

I have fired lots of different MGs in my time but never had the pleasure of spending time on a Lewis gun and not just on a range but stripping assembly, running through drills, even cleaning after firing would all be quality time. Just a all round cool LMG with bags of history in my books.
 
Sergeant Robert Spall earned a Victoria Cross (VC) for one of the greatest acts of bravery and sacrifice that you might not know about.

Born in Ealing, England, on 5 March 1890, Spall moved with his parents to Canada at the age of two and lived in Winnipeg. Before the First World War, he held a quiet job as a customs broker. When war eventually broke out, he volunteered to serve and joined the 90th Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force.

He earned his VC in Parvillers, France, when his platoon became isolated during an enemy counterattack. During the war, leaving the safety of the trenches was considered suicide. With the enemy advancing on their position, it wasn’t much safer inside the trenches. To help save his men, Sergeant Spall made the courageous decision to give his life for his comrades.

Spall climbed out of the trench in full sight of the Germans and began firing his Lewis machine gun at them. He inflicted numerous casualties, which startled enemy troops and halted their advance. He then descended into the trench and directed his comrades to escape through a sap trench. To cover their escape, Spall picked up another Lewis machine gun and resumed firing at the enemy. He was eventually overwhelmed and killed, but his sacrifice allowed his men to escape to safety.

His final remains were lost or never recovered. As such, he is commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial with the over 11,000 other Canadian dead of the war killed in France.

90CIvS1.jpg
 
One of my favourite photos of the Great War. Exhausted soldiers of the Black Watch of Canada finally getting a well-deserved rest in the Grande Place of Mons, Belgium. 11/11/1918

ObUxqXd.jpg
 
Buckmastr said:
One of my favourite photos of the Great War. Exhausted soldiers of the Black Watch of Canada finally getting a well-deserved rest in the Grande Place of Mons, Belgium. 11/11/1918

ObUxqXd.jpg
Click to expand...

Note the enlarged butt on the rifle stock showing between the middle prone soldier and the one sitting down to his right. Does anyone have an idea about what it is - leather / wood?
 
kayceel said:
Note the enlarged butt on the rifle stock showing between the middle prone soldier and the one sitting down to his right. Does anyone have an idea about what it is - leather / wood?
Click to expand...

??? Normal butt. It is the bottom of the stock. You can see the sling swivel.
 
Last edited:
Buckmastr said:
The Third Battle of the Aisne. French infantry coming back through Passy-sur-Marne, pass a British regimental band resting by the roadside, 29 May 1918
(Colour by DBcolour)

YR2Wk3W.jpg
Click to expand...

Note that the third poilu is an automatic rifleman, carrying his CSRG in its protective cover. You can also see one of his magazine pouches.
 
Hi Chas. The rifle scopes are Periscopic Prism Co. made and fitted to a mount of their design. Interesting enough that these
scopes were near the only British ones that could be adjusted slightly for windage. If you PM me your e-mail I can send
you a better pic. Canadians received some of these too from the Brits. JOHN
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom