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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Hotchkiss Machine Gun


Guest beechie

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Guest beechie

Encouraged by the valuable responses to my question about the Oerlikon gun, I would like to ask for pictures or descriptions of the Hotchkiss light mg issued to Light Cavalry in WW1

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Not only issued to 'Light Cavalry'. Here is an example of it being employed by a detachment from 13th Light Horse in 1917.

Chris Henschke

post-671-1175588205.jpg

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Also extensively used in tanks.

Here is the Mark I gun for cavalry.

More in next post.

Regards

TonyE

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The tank version had a pistol grip fitted but the tanks also carried a skeleton steel stock so that the gun could be dismounted and used as a ground gun in an emergency.

More....

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The normal infantry feed strip held 30 rounds. For cavalry use shorter 9 round feed strips were issued that fitted into special bandoliers.

This is the short 9 round strip.

more....

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The tanks used a 50 round articulated belt.

I can also post photos of the 14 and 30 round strips if anyone is remotely interested!

Regards

TonyE

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This is the short 9 round strip.
Great to see the photos. Thanks Tony.

As with the Hotchkiss machine gun, loaders could get very proficient at clipping the short strips together and providing an almost continuous feed - not that the gun would fire continuously but in bursts.

Robert

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The tanks used a 50 round articulated belt.

I can also post photos of the 14 and 30 round strips if anyone is remotely interested!

Regards

TonyE

Tony

Yes please.

Co-incidently I passed the TV when the movie Legionaire was playing. One character was apparently (from the little I saw) representing a pukka Brit who claimed to have taken Damascus with Allenby. As I re-entered the room Van Dam (?) was sitting behind a gun very similar to ones pictured here, particularly the straight clip of about a dozen rounds. Will just have to wait for a re-run of the movie, unless someone can confirm that the Foreign Legion used the Hotchkiss between the wars.

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Hi KIA KAHA

Would yo have any details of the statue of the horsemen?

The hats in that, in the showcase, and worn by the riders in the picture, look more like Australian than NZ.

The nationality of men in several photos have been identified by experts from the difference between the lemon squeezer and the slouch hat. That NZ link suggests there was little if any difference between the horsemens' hats.

Jo

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Hi KIA KAHA

Would yo have any details of the statue of the horsemen?

The hats in that, in the showcase, and worn by the riders in the picture, look more like Australian than NZ.

The nationality of men in several photos have been identified by experts from the difference between the lemon squeezer and the slouch hat. That NZ link suggests there was little if any difference between the horsemens' hats.

Jo

From what I no of the picture they are NZMR,

In the Boar war the NZ slouch hat was worn up on the side like the Australian hat, but was held up with a lions head and leather strap

It was also worn after the Boar war and up to Gallopli, this style.

Later worn with the brim horizontal by the NZMR in Sinai Palestine.

go tothis link, for uniforms

http://www.nzmr.org/kit.htm

Here is a part of a picture of mine of members of QAMR- Queens Alexander Mounted Rifles Squadron

before Gallopli. Sgt, Fawcett back centre was KIA 19 December 1915, burried at Chunuk Bair.

Jonathan

post-6628-1176363324.jpg

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Jo -

Here is picture of comparative lengths of 9, 14, 30 and 50 round British feed strips.

With regard to the French Foreign Legion, I am sure they would have had 8mm Hotchkiss MGs during the inter-war years, just as the French army did.

Regards

TonyE

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Tony

Sorry for the delayed thanks. I was unaware of the Hotchkiss use by the French, and will await a rerun of "legionairre"

Jonathan

Thank you also, the links were most interesting

Jo

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From what I no of the picture they are NZMR,

In the Boar war the NZ slouch hat was worn up on the side like the Australian hat, but was held up with a lions head and leather strap

It was also worn after the Boar war and up to Gallopli, this style.

Later worn with the brim horizontal by the NZMR in Sinai Palestine.

go tothis link, for uniforms

http://www.nzmr.org/kit.htm

Here is a part of a picture of mine of members of QAMR- Queens Alexander Mounted Rifles Squadron

before Gallopli. Sgt, Fawcett back centre was KIA 19 December 1915, burried at Chunuk Bair.

Jonathan

post-6628-1176363324.jpg

Dear All,

Unfortunatly some of the imformation in this site, about uniforms and bandolier equipment is now out dated.

From 1912 The brim of the NZ felt hat was turned up on the left side and held by a strap connected to a lions head badge. The crown was dented front to rear. This syle of hat was was by ALL Territorial ranks from 1912.(1912 New Zealand Dress Regulations). But by late 1912 variations did start to appear. The NZ Artillary started wearing the crowns of their felt hats with a peaked crown, and regimental badges started to appear with hooks on the base of the badge.

Barry

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Dear All,

The Hotchkiss bandolier was introduced into the L.O.C. in May 1917.

The bandolier has 3 pockets on the front and 3 on the rear. Orginaly these pockets held a

10 round clip of ammunition. In January 1918 (L.O.C.) the clip(tray) was reduced to 9 rounds each.

The tub on the front centre pouch is for a hand extractor.

Barry

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Thanks for that, it explains why there are both 9 and 10 round clips shown in the contract listings. Do we know why the reduction was made? I could not find the entry in my LoCs.

Regards

TonyE

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Barry

Thanks.

I don't even know what an LoC is, but have filled in a few gaps for my book Hotchkiss for Dummies.

Concerning the hats, I am probably more confused (bushed) than ever.

How would you identify a NZ Infantryman, from among the Australians, Canadians, and Americans when the soft hats they wore seem very similar. Another discussion here mentions the roll of film taken on Gallipoli. Several of the soldiers there seem to wearing lemon-squeezers whilst others in the same group seem to be the Australian Slouch hat. Have often wondered...

Jo

By the way, thanks to Beechie for asking the first question.

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Barry

As you are a member of the NZMR forum, would it not be more fruitful, spending your time informing, Steve of these inaccuracies.

Jo if you study the photos and look for Badges being worn, uniforms and the equipment they are wearing, then it possible to distinguish.

It may take you a while to learn, all will come with time.

Jonathan.

post-6628-1177062889.jpg

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Dear All,

The 60 round Hotchkiss M.G. Bandolier was introduced on 14th May 1916 L.O.C. # 18393 but not published in in the L.O.C. untill 1st May 1917.

The 54 round Hotchkiss M.G. Bandolier was introduced on 5th January 1918 L.O.C.# 20174 which was published 1st April 1918.

These LOCs are confussing some times.

I believe that the tray was reduced in size so that they would fit the bandolier pouch better.

Barry.

Our book on NZ army Uniforms and Clothing 1910-1945 is due for publication latter this year and will help in the identification of head wear worn by NZ soliders.

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Barry

Thanks.

I don't even know what an LoC is, but have filled in a few gaps for my book Hotchkiss for Dummies.

All items of stores that were introduced, modified or made obsolete were entered in a monthly publication called "List of Changes". Each item was given a paragraph number followed by the details of the entry.

You will often see people quoting these entries as "LoC Para 1234"

Hope this helps

Regards

TonyE

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  • 14 years later...

I know this thread is 15 years old but....going through some new sources I think I have found some pictures of a Hotchkiss Bandolier in use by some British Cavalry in 1918.

All the others have P1903 Bandoliers

124739826_bandolierdetail2.jpg.7dbe71fd022e6b4b8c7768c0f7ad2a56.jpg

3216334_bandolierdetail.jpg.46950666a10c74fe72c033785674410f.jpg

 

 

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