UNITS THAT USED THE VICKERS

THE ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGIMENT:

The Royal Warwickshire Regiment consisted of Infantry Battalions 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 10th Brigade, attached to the 4th Division. It's MG Section was transferred on 22 December 1915 to form the 10th Bde. MG Coy..

As a unit of the 4th Infantry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.

1914
25 August to 05 SeptemberRETREAT FROM MONS [II. Corps, 26 to 30 August 1914, and III. Corps from 31 August 1914.]
26 AugustBattle of le Cateau [under II. Corps].
01 SeptemberNery (1/R. War. R. and 2/R.D.F., 10th Bde.)
06 to 09 SeptemberBattle of the Marne [III. Corps].
13 to 20 SeptemberBATTLE OF THE AISNE [III. Corps].
13 October to 02 NovemberBattle of Armentieres [III. Corps].
13 OctoberCapture of Meteren
1915
25 April to 25 MayBATTLES OF YPRES [V. Corps, Second Army].
25 April to 04 MayBattle of St. Julien [V. Corps, Second Army, and from 28 April to 07 May in Plumer's Force].
08 to 13 MayBattle of Frezenberg Ridge [V. Corps, Second Army].
24 and 25 MayBattle of Bellewaarde Ridge [V. Corps, Second Army].
Source: Becke, 1934

2nd

The 2nd Battalion was part of the 22nd Brigade, attached to the 7th Division. Its MG Section was transferred on 24 February 1916 to form the 22nd Bde. MG Coy..

As a unit of the 7th Infantry Division, its MG Section will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.

1914
09 and 10 OctoberAntwerp Operations [IV. Corps].
19 October to 05 NovemberBATTLES OF YPRES
21 to 24 OctoberBattle of Langemarck [IV. Corps].
29 to 31 OctoberBattle of Gheluvelt [I. Corps].

18 DecemberRouges Banes - Well Farm Attack [IV. Corps].
1915
10 to 13 MarchBattle of Neuve Chappelle [IV. Corps, First Army].
09 MayBattle of Aubers Ridge [In reserve, IV. Corps, First Army].
15 to 19 MayBattle of Festubert [I. Corps, First Army].
15 and 16 JuneGivenchy [IV. Corps].
25 September and 08 OctoberBattle of Loos [I. Corps, First Army].
Source: Becke, 1934

16th

The 16th Battalion was part of the 95th Brigade, attached to the 32nd Division.

It was transferred to the 15th Brigade, attached to the 5th Division, on the 26 December 1915. It's MG Section was transferred on 26 December 1916 to form the 15th Bde. MG Coy.. (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.

Upon the disbandment of Divisional Machine Gun Battalions in the post-WW2 restructure of the British Army, the Vickers Machine Gun assest reverted to individual Battalions as part of the Support Company as a Machine Gun Platoon.