22nd Australian Machine Gun Company

	Soldiers of No 4 Section of the 22nd Machine Gun Company cooling the machine gun after shooting at a German aircraft flying over the Bullecourt battlefield. AWM photo E00459
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Brief History

The 22nd Machine Gun Company was raised to form the fourth machine gun company for the 2nd Division, later formed as the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion. MG Companies were equipped with the Vickers Medium Machine Gun, served by a crew of three and mounted on a tripod. Not easily portable it was generally sited in a prepared fixed position.

The Vickers had a distinctive appearance as a result of a cylindrical water jacket sleeve around the barrel which was designed to cool the barrel when firing at the rapid rate. They achieved continuous fire through the provision of ammunition in canvas belts. It was renowned for its reliability and it could maintain blistering rates of fire for extended periods, capable of firing at extended ranges, out to 3,000 yards. They could be sited to provide flanking fire across a defensive front, often covering belts of barbed wire or other obstacles forcing the enemy to attack through their line of fire with devastating results; known as "enfilade fire".

They were often the lynch-pin of defensive positions and in attack they were sited to provide indirect 'plunging fire' into enemy positions in depth at long range to prevent enemy reinforcements reaching the objective of the attack, or to disrupt attempts to withdraw, in a manner not dissimilar to artillery. Some machine gun teams would also be assigned to follow the assaulting formations as protection against counter attack by the enemy. Twenty six men died while posted to this unit, 25 as a result of enemy action, and one in England from accidental injury.

Unit Personnel

Henry George Price 20 Apr 1917 - July 1917

Individual Honours

2 x Military Cross
12 x Military Medal
1 x Meritorious Service Medal
1 x Mentioned in Despatches

Notes

Detail extracted from Virtual War Memorial Australia website accessed 31 Jul 2021 (https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/448)

External Links