Motor Machine Gun Service
Encyclopedia
The Motor Machine Gun Service was a unit of the British Army
in the Great War
consisting of batteries of motorcycle
/sidecar
combinations carrying Vickers machine gun
s. It was formed in 1914 and incorporated into the Machine Gun Corps
in 1915 as the Machine Gun Corps (Motors).
had not been fully appreciated by the British Army before the outbreak of the Great War, it soon became apparent that highly-mobile machine gun units would be of considerable value in the fluid warfare that characterized the first few weeks of the war. Accordingly, the formation of batteries of motorcycle-mounted machine guns was authorized in November 1914, under the command of Lt-Col R.W. Bradley, DSO
, South Wales Borderers. These batteries were designated part of the Royal Field Artillery
, one battery being allocated to the divisional Artillery of each Division
of the British Expeditionary Force. Each battery consisted of 18 motorcycle/sidecar combinations, carrying six Vickers machine guns, ammunition and spare parts, eight motorcycles without sidecars, and two or three cars or trucks. The motorcycle combinations were originally Scotts
, later also Royal Enfields
and Clynos
, the solo units usually being Triumphs. Members were recruited from Motor Cycle Clubs and other bodies of enthusiasts and officers seconded from other regiments.
In 1915, as the war bogged down in the stalemate of trench warfare
, the mobility of these batteries became of lesser importance, and the service was incorporated into the Machine Gun Corps as the Machine Gun Corps (Motors), MGC(M). However, the mobile batteries came into their own again during the advances of 1918
, as well as in Palestine, Mesopotamia
and East Africa
. From 1916, many men of the MGC(M) were transferred to the Heavy Section, MGC, which later became the Tank Corps
and in 1922, the Tank Corps absorbed all remaining units of the MGC(M).
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
consisting of batteries of motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
/sidecar
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
combinations carrying Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
s. It was formed in 1914 and incorporated into the Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
in 1915 as the Machine Gun Corps (Motors).
History
Although the usefulness of the machine gunMachine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
had not been fully appreciated by the British Army before the outbreak of the Great War, it soon became apparent that highly-mobile machine gun units would be of considerable value in the fluid warfare that characterized the first few weeks of the war. Accordingly, the formation of batteries of motorcycle-mounted machine guns was authorized in November 1914, under the command of Lt-Col R.W. Bradley, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, South Wales Borderers. These batteries were designated part of the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
, one battery being allocated to the divisional Artillery of each Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the British Expeditionary Force. Each battery consisted of 18 motorcycle/sidecar combinations, carrying six Vickers machine guns, ammunition and spare parts, eight motorcycles without sidecars, and two or three cars or trucks. The motorcycle combinations were originally Scotts
The Scott Motorcycle Company
The Scott Motorcycle Company was owned by Scott Motors Limited, Shipley, West Yorkshire, England and was a well known producer of motorcycles and light engines for industry...
, later also Royal Enfields
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield was the name under which the Enfield Cycle Company made motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". Use of the brand name Royal Enfield was...
and Clynos
Clyno
Developing from a motorcycle manufacturer, the Clyno Engineering Company Ltd, founded by Frank Smith, became the surprise success of British car manufacturing in the 1920s becoming the country's third largest car manufacturer in 1926...
, the solo units usually being Triumphs. Members were recruited from Motor Cycle Clubs and other bodies of enthusiasts and officers seconded from other regiments.
In 1915, as the war bogged down in the stalemate of trench warfare
Trench warfare
Trench warfare is a form of occupied fighting lines, consisting largely of trenches, in which troops are largely immune to the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery...
, the mobility of these batteries became of lesser importance, and the service was incorporated into the Machine Gun Corps as the Machine Gun Corps (Motors), MGC(M). However, the mobile batteries came into their own again during the advances of 1918
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
, as well as in Palestine, Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
and East Africa
East African Campaign (World War I)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles and guerrilla actions which started in German East Africa and ultimately affected portions of Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, Uganda, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign was effectively ended in November 1917...
. From 1916, many men of the MGC(M) were transferred to the Heavy Section, MGC, which later became the Tank Corps
Tank Corps
Tank Corps may refer to:* Tank Corps, later Royal Tank Corps, early name of the Royal Tank Regiment* Tank Corps , a type of Red Army formation used up to World War II...
and in 1922, the Tank Corps absorbed all remaining units of the MGC(M).