Has a faster rate of fire in a machine-gun ever been used?

[ChristopherPerrien]

Hell, as far as ammo usage - Battle of Iswandala, there, idiot staff officers were arguing about the usage of ammo in single shot rifles by the "infantry", till they got stabbed by Assegasis'
Dear CP,
I recall reading in Military History Magazine about Isandlwana where the ammo crates needed special screw drivers to open (first phillips?). That requisition forms needed to be presented and to the correct supply sergeant for your company. I hope the were spared the copper v. brass case problem from Little Big Horn.
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2

Ah yes,as described in the Memoirs of Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, one of the best generals of the BEF, and the entire British army in WWI. Proven, because he was relieved by that idiot Sir John French.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Smith-Dorrien

Smith Dorrien was one of the few British survivors of Isandlwana; Only because he was wearing a blue jacket that day rather than a red one, and the Zulus had orders to kill "Red-coats",
I believe that experience led him to be such an outstanding soldier and a much more sensible person and General, than most in WWI.

The movie "Zulu" does a fair job in the re-creation of the incident..

[Trackhead M2]

[.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Smith-Dorrien

Smith Dorrien was one of the few British survivors of Isandlwana; Only because he was wearing a blue jacket that day rather than a red one, and the Zulus had orders to kill "Red-coats",
I believe that experience led him to be such an outstanding soldier and a much more sensible person and General, than most in WWI.

The movie "Zulu" does a fair job in the re-creation of the incident..

Dear CP,
Does that mean he was a Horse Soldier rather than a Platoon Leader in the poor bloody infantry.
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2

[LWD]

... The movie "Zulu" does a fair job in the re-creation of the incident..

Zulu or Zulu Dawn?

[ChristopherPerrien]

... The movie "Zulu" does a fair job in the re-creation of the incident..

Zulu or Zulu Dawn?

Zulu, is the better movie. But I think you are correct, in that it may be Zulu Dawn which has the scene, with the Stuffy Supply officer and the "ammo-box/screw-driver" bit

[Takao]

"Zulu" was Rorke's Drift. "Zulu Dawn" was the Battle of Isandlwana.

I've watched "Zulu Dawn" several times, but Horace Smith-Dorrien or a similar character is not present in the movie, but it does show the problem with the amunition boxes. And, whether fact or fiction, it also shows the quartermaster doggedly handing out ammunition "by the book"(for proper record-keeping) when the British forces are running out of ammunition.

[ChristopherPerrien]

[.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Smith-Dorrien

Smith Dorrien was one of the few British survivors of Isandlwana; Only because he was wearing a blue jacket that day rather than a red one, and the Zulus had orders to kill "Red-coats",
I believe that experience led him to be such an outstanding soldier and a much more sensible person and General, than most in WWI.

The movie "Zulu" does a fair job in the re-creation of the incident..

Dear CP,
Does that mean he was a Horse Soldier rather than a Platoon Leader in the poor bloody infantry.
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2

Staff officer from Chelmfors's HQ , which was why he was wearing a blue coat instead of a red.

http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=953

One of the accepted causes of the disaster was the extended line between the troops in the line and their reserve ammunition in the camp. It is here in the camp that we find the twenty-year old Smith-Dorrien. With no specific duties to perform he mustered a number of troops, officers’ servants and horse-holders, and set about opening ammunition boxes to hurry the re-supply to those on the firing line. Whilst doing so he was approached by Quartermaster Edward Bloomfield of the 2nd/24th, who castigated him, saying, “For heaven’s sake, don’t take that man for it belongs to our Battalion!” Bloomfield in this now famous, and much quoted statement was obviously inferring that his battalion, the 2nd/24th, who were out with Lord Chelmsford, save for one company, might have need of their reserve ammunition at a moment’s notice should they become engaged in a fire-fight. Smith-Dorrien’s reply is equally famous as it has given rise to the belief that Bloomfield was a narrow-minded authoritarian, “Hang it all, you don't want a requisition now, do you?” Quartermaster Bloomfield was to die shortly after this exchange in the act of issuing ammunition.

A good account.