Machine Guns

What was the role of machine guns in the First World War?

Machine guns were used to defend trenches throughout the war. A fairly new weapon, they could fire 400-600 bullets per minute with a range of up to 2,000 metres.

What were machine guns like in 1914?

The Germans had 12,000 in 1914, although the British did not use them in large numbers until 1915. They required a crew of four to six operators so they were more suited to defence than attack. They could rapidly overheat or jam.

How did machine guns improve during the war?

By 1918 they were widely used by all armies. The rate of fire had vastly increased and some handheld 'light machine guns' had been developed e.g. the Lewis gun, so could be used by attacking troops.

What impact did machine guns have?

They were one of the key defensive weapons of the war: devastatingly effective against infantry, they could cut down hundreds of advancing soldiers in minutes. However, they prolonged the stalemate rather than breaking it.