Tag Archives: Doughboy

The sound of 16 Vickers 303s

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One of the scariest sounds for any of the Kaiser’s foot soldiers in the Great War had to be that of the Vickers gun, ready to rattle away in .303 all day. 

The below amazing eight-minute video is the sight and sound of 16 Vickers machine guns rocking and rolling at a recent event saluting the centenary of the disbandment of the British Army’s Machine Gun Corps. Held at the Century range at Bisley, Surrey, it was pulled off by the Vickers Machinegun Collection and Research Association. Set up as a machine gun company, the guns represented gunners from 1912 through 1968, including one team of female factory testers. 

More on the Vickers 303, and its interesting American connection, after the jump in my column at Guns.com.

“The Kaiser’s necklace, compliments of Camp Lee, Va.” showing Doughboys training with a Vickers gun and holding up one of its 250-round cloth belts. Both the 80th “Blue Ridge” Division, drawn from volunteers from Virginia and western Pennsylvania, as well as the 37th “Buckeye” Division of the Ohio National Guard trained at Camp Lee. (Photo: The Library of Virginia)

Yours for Democracy…

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A very proud Doughboy, and recent college graduate, armed with a brand new Enfield M1917 30.06 rifle and ready to go “Over There.”

The back of this photo was signed “Forrest G. Johnson, Yours for Democracy.”

Forest Griffin Johnson, Student and World War I Veteran, Storer College, Harpers Ferry, W. Va https://storercollege.lib.wvu.edu/catalog/wvulibraries:26925

Via Harpers Ferry National Historical Park:

Forrest Griffin Johnson was born in Bolivar, WV on May 5, 1895. He attended Storer College and graduated in 1917. He listed farmer as his occupation on his WWI draft registration card. He listed his employer as Standard Lime & Stone Co. of Millville, WV on his WWII draft registration card. His wife Rosella R. Johnson submitted an application for an upright military marble headstone on July 21, 1956, which was the day after Forrest’s death. He was buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Bolivar, WV.

107 Storer College grads reportedly served in the Great War.

The historically black college was in operation from 1865 to 1955. The defunct college’s former campus and buildings were acquired by the National Park Service.

Making the Doughboy

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Infantry Soldier with full equipment (proposed) was adopted as the Model 1910.

infantry-equipment-board_page1_image1

Compare the leggings, web gear and campaign hat differences.

The Infantry Equipment Board convened at Rock Island Arsenal, on April 28, 1909. The purpose of this board was to decide on the number, kind, and weight of articles to be carried by the Infantry Soldier. The board examined samples of infantry and cavalry equipment in use by the U.S. Army and fifteen foreign countries, as well as experimental models submitted to the Chief of Ordnance for consideration. The board made its final report to the Adjutant-General of the US Army on April 5, 1910. Two months later, in June 1910, manufacture of the newly designed equipment began at Rock Island Arsenal.

These images and text are from a copy of the Report of the Infantry Equipment Board in the collection of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum– who still maintain the T&E equipment shown in their collection.

1916 redux

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I’m not sure the origin of these layouts of 1916 military infantryman’s gear, but they are great.

French. Note this is well after the war began as the red trousers have been replaced.

The kit of a French Private Soldier in the Battle of Verdun, 1916, collection provided by Paul Bristow, Croix de Guerre Living History Group, photographed by Thom Atkinson. Note this is well after the war began as the red trousers have been replaced and the extensive grenade collection. The non-standard walking cane is great

British/Commonwealth. Note the SMLE .303 with bayonet and wirecutting accessory just off the muzzle. Also the extensive field mess kit. To the left there is the classic non-standard trench mace and the E-tool handle with pike/shovel blade.

Equipment of a British Sergeant in the Battle of the Somme, 1916. Supplied by Nigel Bristow, The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment. photographed by Thom Atkinson. Note the SMLE .303 with bayonet and wire-cutting accessory just off the muzzle. Also the extensive field mess kit. To the left there is the classic non-standard trench mace and the E-tool handle with pike/shovel blade. The canvas cover on the Brodie helmet is rare.

German. Note the camoflauged Stalhelm at the top right and the rifle grenade near the muzzle of the Gew 98 Mauser.

Equipment of a German Private in the Battle of the Somme, 1916, collection provided by Paul Bristow, Croix de Guerre Living History Group, photographed by Thom Atkinson. Note the camouflaged Stalhelm at the top right and the rifle grenade near the muzzle of the Gew 98 Mauser.

 

Russian. They spent a lot of effort on this one as you can tell from the ushanka fur cap (left) Shinel greatcoat (right) Gymnastiorka selection, Bashlyk Circassian hood and gloves. Also note the M1912 "Lantern Head" Grenade. Curiously, the Russians, widely beleived by many to be backward militarily at the time, was one of the first to adopt and issue hand grenades before the War to include the M1912 and the hex-shaped design of Col. Stender-- having gained experience in field expediant ones in the 1904-05 Seige of Port Arthur. This partiular model was redesigned and lived on as the M1914/30 which was only totally withdrawn from Warsaw Pact service in the 1980s. The only thing I have to throw rocks at on this one is that I think the rifle is a 91/30 and not a Mosin 91, but close enough. Also, the Adrian helmets were only used by the Russian Expeditionary Brigade sent to the Western Front.

Equipment from the 1st Russian Women’s Battalion of Death, collection supplied by Bruce Chopping, Ian Skinner and Laura Whitehouse of the 1914-21 Society, photographed by Thom Atkinson. They spent a lot of effort on this one as you can tell from the ushanka fur cap (left) Shinel greatcoat (right) Gymnastiorka selection, Bashlyk Circassian hood and gloves. Also note the M1912 “Lantern Head” Grenade. Curiously, the Russians, widely believed by many to be backward militarily at the time, was one of the first to adopt and issue hand grenades before the War to include the M1912 and the hex-shaped design of Col. Stender– having gained experience in field expedient ones in the 1904-05 Siege of Port Arthur. This particular model was redesigned and lived on as the M1914/30 which was only totally withdrawn from Warsaw Pact service in the 1980s. The only thing I have to throw rocks at on this one is that I think the rifle is a 91/30 and not a Mosin 91 (and many images of the Women’s Battalion show them with Japanese Arisakas, but I digress), but close enough. Also, the Adrian helmets were only used by the Russian Expeditionary Brigade sent to the Western Front.

US Infantryman (Doughboy), arrival in France, 1917. Equipment provided by: Lee Martin, historical adviser, collector and living historian, photographed by Thom Atkinson. Note the cleanest campaign hat ever! Also keep in mind that, while the "Regulars" showed up in France with M1903 Springfields, most of the new Yanks came over with Enfields. The dominoes are a nice touch

US Infantryman (Doughboy), arrival in France, 1917. Equipment provided by: Lee Martin, historical adviser, collector and living historian, photographed by Thom Atkinson. Note the cleanest campaign hat ever! Also keep in mind that, while the “Regulars” showed up in France with M1903 Springfields, most of the new Yanks came over with Enfields. The dominoes are a nice touch

If anyone knows the source, please let me know so I can link back. Thanks

Update: Apparently they showed up on Imgur last week. Original is here. Photos updated with sources. More info here.