UNITS THAT USED THE VICKERS

THE ROYAL NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS:

The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an Infantry Battalion that would have had an MG Section as part of its Battalion Headquarters. These weapons would have been brigaded when the Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915. The guns, and crews, would have been formed into a Machine Gun Company.

During the Great War, the Battalions were distributed as follows:

1st

The 1st Battalion was part of the 9th Brigade, attached to the 3rd Division. It's MG Section was transferred on by 08 February 1916 to form the 9th Bde. MG Coy..

As a unit of the 3rd Infantry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.

Source: Becke, 1934

In 1922, the Machine Gun Corps was disbanded and the guns returned to the Infantry Battalion as a Machine Gun Platoon and then formed as a Machine Gun Company in the early 1930s.

This remained until the formation of Divisional Machine Gun Battalions in 1936 where guns were brigaded once again. The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were one of those Infantry Regiments converted to this new role.

During the Second World War, the Battalions were distributed as follows:

1st

Already in the Western Desert at the outbreak of war, the 1st Battalion, one of the few machine-gun battalions remaining in the British Army, fought continuously in North Africa from the time of Italy's entry into the lists against us, until the final curshing defeat inflicted on the Germans and Italians in Tunisia three years later.

Under Wavell, against odds of 10 to 1, it took part in the routing of the vaunted Italian Army at the vitories of Sidi Barrani, Bardia, Tobruk and Benghazi. Under Wavel it helped to cover the withdrawal made necessary by the honouring of out promise of aid to stricken Greece, until it was left under the command of the 9th Australian Division to bear a notable part in the immortal defence of Tobruk, culminating in the "Battle of the Break-out" eight months later, during which battle Capt. Jackman won a posthumous V.C.

Under the ill-starred Auchinlech, the Battalion fought the Battle of Egpyt until, with the advent of Generals Alexander and Montgomery, and of adequate reinforcements of men, material and up-to-date equipment, it swept forward again with the 8th Army over some 1,500 miles, through the major battles of El Alamein, Agheila and Mareth, to junction with the 1st Army in Tunisia, and to final and spectacular victory in the Cape Bon peninsula. This battalion is now fighting in Italy (July, 1944).

(Source: Barney, 1946)

2nd

This battalion was the first battalion of the Regiment to go abroad with the expeditionary force. It went to France on 1st October, 1939, in the 4th Division, and was originally employed, like the rest of the B.E.F., in erecting defences on the Belgian Frontier, with companies moving down in turn for a spell in the Maginot Line.

On 11th May, 1940, after several false alarms, it moved with the 3rd Division into Belgium, and was responsible for an area 25 miles square, including Brussels, against airborne attack. When the Belgian Army surrendered, and a general withdrawal was ordered, it again came under the command of the 4th Division, which had by now moved up.

It fought several delaying actions whilst with this Division, until late in May, when it was suddenly taken out of the line at Tourcoing-Menin and rushed off to Ypres, to estend the left flank of the B.E.F. and to take over from the Division Legere Mechanique (French Army) now reduced to fourteen tanks. It held this line on its own for about twenty-four hours until the 50th Division (mostly D.L.I.) came up and filled in the gaps.

It fought with the Division until the evacuation from Dunkirk on 1st June, 1940. During this period the total casualties were about 120 all ranks, and about 20 awards were gained by N.C.Os. and men.

The 2nd Battalion remained with the 4th Division in the U.K. and did extensive training until May, 1943, when it went to the 1st Army in North Africa, and then to Italy, where it is now (June, 1944).

(Source: Barney, 1946)

4th

The 4th Battalion reorganized as a motor-cycle battalion in 1938, went to France with the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, with whom it earned a high reputation. Later it served with the 4th Division. In the last desperate days of the German break-through it took a prominent part in the counter-attack from the River Scarpe carried out by the 5th and 50th Divisions, finally being evacuated from Dunkirk.

Again reorganizing as the Reconnaissance Battalion of the 50th Division, it went to North Africa, and suffered such severe casualties during the grim days leading up to the Battle of Knightsbridge and the defence of Egypt that the remnants were drafted to continue the campaign with the 1st Battalion, while a small cadre was sent home to form the nucleus of a new 4th Battalion raised as the Support Battalion of the 15th (Scottish) Division. Nine months after this rebirth the Battalion was split up between three famous armoured divisions. Now its three independent M.G. Companies (Bn. H.Q. having been placed in abeyance) are fighting in Normandy (July, 1944).

(Source: Barney, 1946)

1st Independent Machine Gun Company

This company was the Independent MG Company to the Guards Armoured Division.

The Guards Armoured Division was created on 17th June 1941 in Great Britain. It took part in the following battles: