Machine Guns: Their History And Tactical Employment (Being Also A History Of The Machine Gun Corps, 1916-1922)

Graham Seton Hutchison

ISBN 10: 1845741382 / ISBN 13: 9781845741389

Published by Naval and Military Press, 2009

Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. A copy that has been read but remains in clean condition. All of the pages are intact and the cover is intact and the spine may show signs of wear. The book may have minor markings which are not specifically mentioned. Ex library copy with usual stamps & stickers. Seller Inventory # wbs9781437975

Synopsis:

This is a very important book which should interest all who wish to know more about one of the most devastating weapons of 20th century warfare: the machine gun. Although mainly concerned with the role of the weapon during the Great War, Lt. Col. Hutchinson devotes space to explaining how the machine gun evolved from ancient times. There are chapters, too, on the Gatling Gun, the prototype machine gun much favoured in 19th century colonial wars, and on Hiram Maxim, the cheerfully amoral inventor who can plausibly be called the father of the modern machine gun. In discussing the role of the machine gun on the western front, the author does not hide the early advantage enjoyed by the Germans who had far more of the weapons per head than the British. Nor does he attempt to hide the horrendous toll taken by the German machine gunners on what may have been the weapon’s bloodiest and most successful day: the decimation of the British advance on July 1st, 1916, the first day of the battle of the Somme. But Hutchinson shows how the British learned from their errors and caught up with the Germans in using the gun and devising new tactics for it. Nor does the author neglect the use of the gun in other theatres : Italy, the Balkans and the Middle East. A well-written, sober and informative account, packed with detail and fascinating information. With fifteen photographs and many maps.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Machine Guns: Their History And Tactical ...
Publisher: Naval and Military Press
Publication Date: 2009
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: Good