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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Miscellaneous -> Machine Gun Corps ephemera
Post Info TOPIC: Machine Gun Corps ephemera
Rectalgia


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Machine Gun Corps ephemera
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Simon, member "the17paynes" in the British Medals Forum, has in his collection some "Motor Machine Gun Corps" cards associated with 76297 Pte John Firth of the 4th Tank Battalion.

The corps name is a little strange to me - I thought it was the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps (which became the Tank Corps which ...). There was a Motor Machine Gun Service but that was something else again (to my limited understanding).

Is the "Motor Machine Gun Corps" an example of some short-lived or semi-official terminology not generally recorded? If so we should jolly-well record it forthwith. Or is my lack of knowledge showing (again)?

Photo by kind permission of Simon (who, incidentally, sends his fraternal greetings to YOU firstankcrews).

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Facimus et Frangimus
firsttankcrews


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A brief history is available on the Long Long Trail here
http://www.1914-1918.net/mmg.htm

The Motor Machine Gun Corps was originally part of the Royal Artillery but many of iits members were subsumed into the MGC on 1st December 1915; they formed over one third of the first tank crews; many were transfered to the Heavy Branch MGC when the Tank Battalions were formed in Dec 1916.

John Firth appears to have served with the Army Cyclists Corps (ACC) before being transferred to the MGC; this was probably in Dec 1916 - there being many who moved to the Tanks at that time

Simon is a good friend and has aided my searches for the First Tank Crews



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Stephen Pope

http://www.firsttankcrews.com/
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Thanks Stephen, the link to http://www.1914-1918.net/mmg.htm gives far more comprehensive information than anything I've looked at before.

I remain unsure whether the MMGC (per the card) is a pseudonym for the MMGS or the MGC(M) or simply some confusion in between. Seems like there is plenty of scope for confusion. Anyway, I though the designation "Motor Machine Gun Corps" didn't quite fit with the recorded designations. It is clearly what was the Heavy Section MGC which became the Heavy Branch MGC (possibly just some stationery ordered while they were making up their minds just what to call it). It obviously doesn't really matter - except to tiny nit-picking minds like mine. In my defence, as I mentioned in another forum somewhere, nit-picking provided a useful source of protein for our hardy forebears, it's a throw-back behaviour laughing.gif

Very potent imagery on that card though. Gives some insight into the military and social mindset of the day.

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firsttankcrews


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Heavy Section MGC relates to the 8 original companies; the Heavy Branch was formed as part of the expansion to Battalions.



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Stephen Pope

http://www.firsttankcrews.com/
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