Post by woodsy on Dec 30, 2008 21:05:41 GMT 1
Here's one to test you! 
In January 1900 the Second NZ Contingent left NZ for the South African War and took a machine gun battery consisting of 4 carriage-mounted Hotchkiss guns. According to the story, these guns were donated (with all pack saddlery) by the makers, Armstrongs of Elswick. The guns proved to be somewhat unwieldly for the conditions in South Africa and the unit was disbanded, the machine gunners becoming Mounted Riflemen. Nothing is known of the disposition of the guns, or even their calibre (Peter, do you know of any in SA?). I have two published photos, one showing the guns at training in NZ, and another showing them in action in SA, both snapped in 1900. The NZ photo shows them on carriages similar to the Maxim Infantry carriage, Mark I, while the SA photo shows them dismounted behind metal shields. Did Armstrongs manufacture them or were they just the UK agents for the French company? Does anyone know if there are any archives for Armstrongs? Any info would be much appreciated. The South African war saw the use of a lot of other machine guns in addition to the regulation Maxim (eg. Colt M95, Hotchkiss, and maybe others) and very little is written about them.
In January 1900 the Second NZ Contingent left NZ for the South African War and took a machine gun battery consisting of 4 carriage-mounted Hotchkiss guns. According to the story, these guns were donated (with all pack saddlery) by the makers, Armstrongs of Elswick. The guns proved to be somewhat unwieldly for the conditions in South Africa and the unit was disbanded, the machine gunners becoming Mounted Riflemen. Nothing is known of the disposition of the guns, or even their calibre (Peter, do you know of any in SA?). I have two published photos, one showing the guns at training in NZ, and another showing them in action in SA, both snapped in 1900. The NZ photo shows them on carriages similar to the Maxim Infantry carriage, Mark I, while the SA photo shows them dismounted behind metal shields. Did Armstrongs manufacture them or were they just the UK agents for the French company? Does anyone know if there are any archives for Armstrongs? Any info would be much appreciated. The South African war saw the use of a lot of other machine guns in addition to the regulation Maxim (eg. Colt M95, Hotchkiss, and maybe others) and very little is written about them.