Lewis Gun

Peter_Suciu

Peter_Suciu

Well-known member
Well, a live Lewis Gun at $30,000 is just a bit out of my budget and even the ones with a dummy receiver can be $10,000. So I opted to import a couple from a company in the UK that makes movie props.

The results are good but obviously not perfect. I'm starting to do work on these to improve them. First up is scuffing up the guns to give them some "age." But the real improvement is adding a real magazine. I may try to do something with the sights, and I wish I had some way of improving the pistol grip, which is resin. However, I'm thrilled to have added this movie prop Lewis Gun to the collection. It displays really well!

View attachment 1
 
Hi Pete: A picture from my collection which relates to your recent LG repro purchase. I have had this since 1997 when I had the glass replaced and new backing put on. I have never seen a similar photo of LG's up here in CN. These period panoramas rarely include weaponry which is why I bought this piece in the first place. This is the LG section from the 216 CEF Bantam Batt. created in Toronto 1916. These were all shorter men who could not meet the height requirements used by the CEF and Brit forces in 1914. However, once 1916 rolled around with the huge casualties experienced by all sides, "the little guys" were taken on strength. Canada had 2 Bantam Batt...216 and the 143 (British Columbia). Both of these went overseas to the UK but were broken up as replacements for CEF Battalions already fighting in France. Obviously, a different bipod assembly being used for training purposes on the LG. Of further interest...Lt. in the centre with cuff rank insignia, Sgt.majors. on either side then Sgts. and all OR's with leather snake belts. Note also, the 2 signalers on either end of the first row with their flags. I owned one of these years ago and they were white with dark blue squares on them....a hold over from the 19thC when you could expect men to stand out in the open and wave cloth flags to communicate. :(
 
Years ago I knew a gentleman who had been a Lewis gunner in the first war. On his first day at training camp he saw two soldiers pulling a little cart with a Lewis gun on it. So he figured he would volunteer to be a gunner, that way he would have the cart and not need to carry his stuff around on his back. That was the last day he saw one of the carts.
 
In the autobiography: The Journal of Private Fraser, the author mentions joining a Lewis gun tam and that they did have a small 2 wheeled cart to carry their gear and the extra goods needed to serve the weapon. Fraser became number two on the gun team before being wounded and put out of action.
 
L&H (31).jpg

I am not aware of any formal issued cart for the lewis, Vickers or Hotchkiss in WWI. Pack saddlery for mules/horses etc but no carts. Whereas the Imperial Germans did produce a patterned cart. Maybe it was a 'captured' example being used as 'best practice'!!
Another image for the lewis gun lovers.
 
At one time I had a complete WW1 kit for the A&SH. But the gentleman I interview was in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top