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Post by Richard Fisher on Nov 22, 2005 18:52:12 GMT 1
Does anyone know what mountings they used when putting these on the back of the 30-cwt truck?
Also, if anyone is aware of pictures other than the one with the tea mug in the foreground, could they let me know.
Thanks,
Richard
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Post by woodsy on Dec 4, 2005 20:29:22 GMT 1
Richard
I have been through my collection of LRDG books and cannot find a better photo. The 'tin mug' picture was originally published in "Long Range Desert Group" by W B Kennedy Shaw in 1945 and shows a group of NZ'rs under the title "target practice with the Vickers" Although the LRDG had a few .5 Vickers, they were far from standard issue, .303 Vickers Mk1's being much more common. They used anything they could get their hands on including Vickers K, .5 Browning, various 20mm cannon, Lewis, Bren and other LMG's including captured materiel. Of the selection of photos only a couple show anything of the mountings employed in the rear of the trucks, and these are all 'local pattern' productions from their fitters. The great majority of the photos only show the guns covered to protect them from the sand. I have known several of the LRDG veterans and they all had a high opinion of the .5 Vickers for anti-vehicle performance, and also the destructive pwer when shooting up airfields, but they all preferred captured 20mm Breda cannons when they could get them.
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Post by Richard Fisher on Dec 4, 2005 21:04:20 GMT 1
Thanks for that info Rod.
I have been through the IWM photograph collection that is online completly now and can't find any further pictures of the .5" in service with the LRDG but they may just not be scanned yet (Hoping!).
As it happens, the picture on my .5" page of me stripping the gun is for a book being written by an NZer on the LRDG. the photos were taken by a guy here in the UK who knows him quite well - the guy taking the photos is part of the Desert Raiders re-enactment group.
Thanks,
Richard
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