My name is Richard Fisher and I have been collecting militaria for as long as I can remember. It started when clearing a Great Aunts after she had sadly died. I inherited the medals of my Great-Great-Uncle - Edgar John Hinton - from the Great War. He was a member of the Wiltshire Regiment and was killed on 21st March 1918 in the 'Lundendorff' offensive of the Spring.
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My interest in the Vickers Machine Gun was as a result of my Grandfather's - John Frederick Hinton - service in the Second World War. He served as Machine Gunner in the Cheshire Regiment in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He died, after illness, on the 5th January 2000. This site is dedicated to him.
He encouraged my militaria collection and regularly took me to view the military exercises on Salisbury Plain. 'Tank-chasing' was a regular school holiday past-time. At this time, I was collecting any military-related items from many periods. Car-boots, local auctions and some militaria fairs, were the prevalent sources.
The first idea of purchasing a Vickers MG was when my other Grandfather was sent a flier from 'Andrew S. Bottomley' militaria which included the Vickers MMG, tripod, transit chests for both, No. 10 ammunition box and ammunition belt - all for £350. If I remember rightly, shipping was £12. It was, as I now know, of Australian manufacture and the serial number was B1916. This was delivered and I was a twelve-year-old with a Medium Machine Gun (albeit 'deactivated'). That was 26th January 1996. My collection has concentrated on the Vickers since then and it has expanded to what you can see on this site today.
In 2001, I came across the concept of 're-enacting' and 'living-history'. I had been displaying my collection at Bletchley Park and was approached by the members of Summer of 44 and invited to join them at Beltring that year and get together the kit that would allow me to display the guns and accessories in the appropriate attire. It was at this show that I purchased my Vickers 'GO' gun and this was a major stepping stone in not only my collecting, but also my life.
Having just bought the main armament used by the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron, I was approached by the section of the World War Two Living History Association that represent that unit. They invited me to attend the Kirby Hall show as part of their display, along with some other members of 'Summer of 44'. I attended and had an excellent event.
Following this, I attended a couple more shows and was invited to go to Bussum, Holland, with several other members of 'Recce' and help out a Dutch unit which portrays a Dutch infantryman of the 'Prinses Irene Brigade'. Having had a superb time with great friends, I joined 'Recce' as a full-member. As an extension to this, I have been a part of many displays and shows and am currently the Unit Safety, Health and Environment advisor. The 'K' Gun is now the most 'used' part of the collection.
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I am also a member of the 'Monty's Men' Living history Group and have visited various sites, including Normandy and Bethune, in order to represent the 'Poor-Bloody-Infantry' that saw service there. This has usually been as part of a 30-plus strong contingent representing an Infantry Platoon of the 1944 period, previously as the 8th Bn, Durham Light Infantry, 50th (Northumberland) Infantry Division and the 1/4th Bn, Welch Regiment, 53rd (Welch) Infantry Division.
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I have had a Vickers Machine Gun website established since 1998. It has included a forum since December of that year and a mailing list has been running for a similar length of time. I periodically get the 'urge' to review and overhaul the site and add large chunks of information to it. I was honoured in 2000 to meet Dolf Goldsmith author of the 'Grand Old Lady of No Mans Land'. Dolf expressed his support for the site and said he had heard of it. This meeting was thanks to the late Doug Preece, of ABI Militaria, and was a brilliant evening which will not be forgotten. I would also like to take this opporunity to thank Doug for his encouragement and assistance in enhancing the collection.
Richard Fisher
Swindon, UK, 2005