The Vickers Machine Gun is one of the weapons we instantly associate with the World War One but did you know it was in service with the British Army for 56 years? Well, this was the recent focus of the Vickers MG Collection & Research Association’s first major exhibition.
The Association is a UK-based charity that aims to educate the public about the history and legacy of the Vickers Gun and associated weapons. The exhibition, held at Bisley Camp - the historic home of British shooting, told the Vickers Gun’s story through 56 objects associated with the guns - representing more than five decades in service - spanning through World War One, World War Two and the Korean War. Running between the 2-5 October the exhibition included an impressive array of Vickers machine guns and the kit needed to get them into, and keep them in, action!
At the heart of the exhibition was a world map with more than a dozen Vickers belt-fed, water-cooled guns and Vickers Bertier light machine guns arrayed to highlight the global impact of the weapons - showing that they were in service with armies and in production at factories around the world.
The guns displayed included Vickers Guns used by the Portuguese, Chileans, Egyptians, Turkish, Israelis, Nepalese and the Dutch and even included a rare Colt-manufactured M1915 Colt-Vickers used by the US Army during World War One. The display also included an Irish Army handcart used to move a Vickers gun and its ammunition and Vickers-Berthier light machine guns used by the British-Indian Army.
The Vickers MG Collection & Research Association's explain the focus and aims of the exhibition:
“The exhibition was developed as part of this educational mission, providing visitors with an opportunity to engage directly with significant artefacts and explore the history of one of the most influential military firearms of the twentieth century.
The exhibition told the story of the Vickers Machine Gun, exploring its global military service throughout the twentieth century and showcasing a range of rare artefacts from the Collection, many of which are not normally available for public display.
The exhibition successfully achieved its principal aims. It demonstrated that there is strong public interest in the history of the Vickers Machine Gun, provided significant educational value, and proved that the Collection can deliver a high-quality exhibition that could be replicated or expanded in the future. For us as an organisation the event also provided valuable experience in exhibition planning, visitor engagement, and interpretation, establishing a strong foundation for future public displays and outreach activities by the Association.”
The association have put together some videos showcasing the exhibition, so if you were unable to get down to Bisley in person you can check those out:
Matt Yates, Chief Operations Officer for the Vickers MG Collection said "we're thrilled with how the exhibition was received by the public and professionals alike. We're already looking to run similar exhibitions in the future so be on the look out for those!"
Find out more about the Vickers MG Collection & Research Association and their work at www.vickersmg.org.uk
