VICKERS MG ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT

Spare parts and tools:

The tools and equipment of a Machine Gun Section were carried in different methods depending on the likelihood of breakage or frequency of maintenance. Therefore, items commonly needing repair or cleaning would be carried with the gun team - usually by the No. 2 - while those less common, and as replacements for the gun teams, were carried within the Section transport.

The first item of carrying equipment used was the wallet, which was contained within the case, which was carried at a scale of 1 per gun. Initially the case (with the wallet inside) was carried in the box at a level of 1 per gun but as the Great War progressed, the box was designated on a scale of every two guns, and therefore a Section or Sub-Section item.

The references for the photographs shown below are period Manuals and labels within containers.

A comparative table of the different spare parts carried is available to download as an MS Excel file.

For futher information on a particular part or tool, if available, click on the relevant part of the image or in the list.

1914	1917	1918
1930	1939	1951

1914

The Spares Wallet - carried one per gun within the Spare Parts Case.

(Source: )

1917

The Spares Wallet - carried one per gun within the Spare Parts Case.

(Source: )

The 'First-Aid' Spare Parts Case - carried one per gun by the No. 2 of the MG Detachment.

(Source: )

1918

The Spares Wallet - carried one per gun within the Spare Parts Case.

(Source: War Office, 1918)

The 'First-Aid' Spare Parts Case - carried one per gun by the No. 2 of the MG Detachment.

(Source: War Office, 1918)

1930

The Spares Wallet - carried one per gun within the Spare Parts Case.

(Source: War Office, 1930)

The Spare Parts Case - carried with the gun at all times when in action, by the No. 2 of the Sub-Section.

(Source: War Office, 1930)

The Spare Parts Box. Carried one per section.

Key # Item Quantity Notes

1 Blocks, Feed 2

2 Boxes, tin for Small Parts 3

3 Bushes, axis side levers 1

4 Case, spare parts and tools 1 For contents see above "spare parts case"

5 Collars, roller 1

6 Cork 1

7 Cup, muzzle attachment 1

8 Discs, muzzle attachment 4

9 Eyelets, long 1/2 oz.

10 Fusee, with chain 1

11 Gib 1

12 Gland, packing 1

13 Hammer 1

14 Lever, extractor, left 1

15 Lever, extractor, right 1

16 Packing, asbestos 4 5-yd. pieces

17 Pins, trigger 1

18 Pins, tumbler 1

19 Pins, firing 2

20 Pins, fixing crank handle 1

21 Pins, split collar roller 2

22 Pins, split keeper 1/8 by 2 1/2 6 For Mk. IV tripod mounting

23 Pins, split bush axis side lever 1

24 Pins, split check nut long 3

25 Pins, split muzzle attachment 1

26 Pins, "T" fixing rear crosspiece 2

27 Plugs, belt 1 In one box only in each limber

28 Plugs, cork, complete 1

29 Plugs, screwed 1

30 Plugs, front cover catch 2

31 Plungers, front cover catch 2

32 Roller 1

33 Screws, clamp, checking traverse 1 In one box only, in No. 1 limber of each section

34 Screwdrivers, large 1

35 Sights, night, fore and back, each 1 Issued and indented for separately, not part of the Spare Parts Box when issued

36 Sights, fore 1

37 Sights, tangent 1

38 Spanner, shifting 1

39 Springs, bottom pawl 1

40 Springs, cover lock 2

41 Springs, front cover catch 2

42 Springs, gib 1

43 Springs, lock 4

44 Springs, safety catch with piston 2

45 Springs, sear 2

46 Springs, shutter catch 2

47 Springs, tangent sight 1

48 Springs, top pawl 2

49 Springs, trigger bar 2

50 Strips, long 25

51 Strips, short 25

52 Tool, repairing belt 1

53 Wire gauze 2 pieces

54 Washers, packing nut elevating 6 Tripod Mk. IV

(Source: War Office, 1930)

1939

The Spares Wallet - carried one per gun within the Spare Parts Case.

(Source: War Office, 1939a)

The Spare Parts Case - carried with the gun at all times when in action, by the No. 2 of the Sub-Section.

(Source: War Office, 1939a)

The Spare Parts Box. Carried one per section.

Key # Item Quantity Notes

1 Blocks, Feed 2

2 Boxes, tin for Small Parts 3

3 Bushes, axis side levers 1

5 Collars, roller 1

6 Cork 1

7 Cup, muzzle attachment 1

8 Discs, muzzle attachment 4

9 Eyelets, long 1/2 oz.

10 Fusee, with chain 1

11 Gib 1

12 Gland, packing 1

13 Lever, extractor, left 1

15 Lever, extractor, right 1

16 Packing, asbestos 4 5-yd. pieces

17 Pins, trigger 1

18 Pins, tumbler 1

19 Pins, firing 2

20 Pins, fixing crank handle 1

21 Pins, split collar roller 2

22 Pins, split keeper 1/8 by 2 1/2 6 For Mk. IV tripod mounting

23 Pins, split bush axis side lever 1

24 Pins, split check nut long 3

25 Pins, split muzzle attachment 1

26 Pins, "T" fixing rear crosspiece 2

27 Plugs, belt 1 In one box only in each limber

28 Plugs, cork, complete 1

29 Plugs, screwed 1

30 Plugs, front cover catch 2

31 Plungers, front cover catch 2

32 Roller 1

33 Screws, clamp, checking traverse 1 In one box only, in No. 1 limber of each section

34 Screwdrivers, large 1

35 Sights, night, fore and back, each 1 Issued and indented for separately, not part of the Spare Parts Box when issued

36 Sights, fore 1

37 Sights, tangent 1

38 Spanner, shifting 1

39 Springs, bottom pawl 1

40 Springs, cover lock 2

41 Springs, front cover catch 2

42 Springs, gib 1

43 Springs, lock 4

44 Springs, safety catch with piston 2

45 Springs, sear 2

46 Springs, shutter catch 2

47 Springs, tangent sight 1

48 Springs, top pawl 2

49 Springs, trigger bar 2

50 Strips, long 25

51 Strips, short 25

52 Tool, repairing belt 1

53 Wire gauze 2 pieces

54 Washers, packing nut elevating 6 Tripod Mk. IV

(Source: War Office, 1939a)

1951

The Spares Wallet - carried one per gun within the Spare Parts Case.

(Source: War Office, 1951a)

The Spare Parts Case - carried with the gun at all times when in action, by the No. 2 of the Sub-Section.

(Source: War Office, 1951a)

The Spare Parts Box. Carried one per section.

Key # Item Quantity Notes

1 Blocks, Feed, RH 2

2 Boxes, Patch, First - Aid, complete 1

3 Boxes, Small Parts 1

4 Brushes, Oil, MG 1

5 Bush, Axis, Side levers 1

6 Chains, Crosshead joint 1

7 Collars, Roller 1

8 Cork for plug 2

9 Cups, Muzzle attachment 1

10 Discs, Muzzle attachment 4

11 Fusee, with chain 1

12 Gib 1

13 Lever, Extractor, Left 1

15 Lever, Extractor, Right 1

16 Packing, Asbestos 8 5-Yard pieces

17 Pins, Crosshead joint 1

18 Pins, Elevating joint 1

19 Pins, Split, Keeper, 1/16-in X 1-in 3

20 Pins, Trigger lock 1

21 Pins, Tumbler 1

22 Pins, Firing 4

23 Pins, Split, Collar, Roller 2

24 Pins, Keep split, 1/8 X 2½ inches 6 For Mark 4 tripod mounting

25 Pins, Split bush, Axis, Side lever 1

26 Pins, Muzzle attachment 1

27 Pins, T fixing, rear crosspiece 1

28 Plugs, Cork, Complete 1

29 Plugs, Screwed 1

30 Plugs, Front Cover Catch 1

31 Plungers, Front Cover Catch 1

32 Roller 1

33 Screws, Clamp, Checking traverse 1

34 Sights, Fore 1

35 Sights, Tangent 1

36 Spanner, Adjustable 1

37 Springs, Bottom pawl 2

38 Springs, Rear cover lock 4

39 Springs, Front cover catch 2

40 Springs, Gib 2

41 Springs, Lock 8

42 Springs, Safety catch with piston 4

43 Springs, Sear 2

44 Springs, Shutter catch 2

45 Springs, Tangent sight 1

46 Springs, Top pawls feed block 4

47 Springs, Trigger bar 4

48 Washers, Adjusting, No. 1 4

49 Washers, Adjusting, No. 2 4

50 Washers, Elevating Nut 6 Tripod Mk. 4

51 Wire Gauze 8 Pieces

(Source: War Office, 1951a)

Key #	Item	Quantity	Notes
1	Blocks, Feed	2
2	Boxes, tin for Small Parts	3
3	Bushes, axis side levers	1
4	Case, spare parts and tools	1	For contents see above "spare parts case"
5	Collars, roller	1
6	Cork	1
7	Cup, muzzle attachment	1
8	Discs, muzzle attachment	4
9	Eyelets, long	1/2	oz.
10	Fusee, with chain	1
11	Gib	1
12	Gland, packing	1
13	Hammer	1
14	Lever, extractor, left	1
15	Lever, extractor, right	1
16	Packing, asbestos	4	5-yd. pieces
17	Pins, trigger	1
18	Pins, tumbler	1
19	Pins, firing	2
20	Pins, fixing crank handle	1
21	Pins, split collar roller	2
22	Pins, split keeper 1/8 by 2 1/2	6	For Mk. IV tripod mounting
23	Pins, split bush axis side lever	1
24	Pins, split check nut long	3
25	Pins, split muzzle attachment	1
26	Pins, "T" fixing rear crosspiece	2
27	Plugs, belt	1	In one box only in each limber
28	Plugs, cork, complete	1
29	Plugs, screwed	1
30	Plugs, front cover catch	2
31	Plungers, front cover catch	2
32	Roller	1
33	Screws, clamp, checking traverse	1	In one box only, in No. 1 limber of each section
34	Screwdrivers, large	1
35	Sights, night, fore and back, each	1	Issued and indented for separately, not part of the Spare Parts Box when issued
36	Sights, fore	1
37	Sights, tangent	1
38	Spanner, shifting	1
39	Springs, bottom pawl	1
40	Springs, cover lock	2
41	Springs, front cover catch	2
42	Springs, gib	1
43	Springs, lock	4
44	Springs, safety catch with piston	2
45	Springs, sear	2
46	Springs, shutter catch	2
47	Springs, tangent sight	1
48	Springs, top pawl	2
49	Springs, trigger bar	2
50	Strips, long	25
51	Strips, short	25
52	Tool, repairing belt	1
53	Wire gauze	2	pieces
54	Washers, packing nut elevating	6	Tripod Mk. IV