German use of Lewis gun

[crh]

Hello,

Can anyone help?.

I have a book in my possession called ! The employment if Machine Guns" part one tactical, I think it is British SS192.

I am wondering whether to keep the book as I am having a clearout, but, I understand that the Germans used the Lewis Gun, how did they use this weapon?, would they have used it differently from the tactics in the book I have?.
I am aware that the Germans were quite pleased when they got hold of a Lewis gun, so I have been lead to believe-corrections invited and welcome.

I would appreciate any info on the German use of the Lewis gun.

Thank you.

[Ruhrpottpreusse]

Hi crh!
In 1915 the Gen.Kdo XVIII AK set up two "Musketen-Bataillone" armed with Madsen-guns from Denmark. Around october 1916 we had less and less Madsen-guns, so we changed into Lewis machine-guns. These were spoils, but the calibre was changed to use german ammo. But the time using the Lewis MG should only be a temporary assistance, until the troops have got the german 08/15 MG.
The two Musketen-Bataillons were:
Musketen-Bataillon 1 with three companies (attached to Armeeabteilung Gaede)
Musketen-Bataillon 2 with two companies (attached to Armeeabteilung Falkenhausen)
The point of using those bataillons were to support the firepower of the infantry in the defense.
One company constisted of 1 captain (or first lieutenant), 3 lieutenants, 1 sergeant-major, 1 sergeant, 9 corporals, 1 Medical-corporal, 20 lance-corporals, 140 soldiers (incl. 2 cyclists).
Each company had 63.960 bullets.
After the change into Lewis MG, each company had 18 Lewis-MG, each Platoon 6 Lewis MG. Three MG are one group. One Lewis MG needed 4 soldiers (1 marksman and three ammo-carrier - in trenches only two carriers). Those carriers wore the K98, the marksman wore the pistol 08. Each MG had 20.304 bullets.
In april 1918 the Musketen-Bataillone had changed into MG-Scharfschützen-Abteilungen, but they stil had their names!

[crh]

Thank you for the info, do you know anything about the tactical use of the Lewis gun in German hands?.


thank you.

[Ruhrpottpreusse]

No, because I think, they didn´t have a special use, but to support the infantry in defense. There ain´t much written about that theme, unfortunately

[Ken S.]

This is the entry from the Res.-Inf.Regt. 31 regimental history for August 6/7 1916:

[Hoplophile]

This is the entry from the Res.-Inf.Regt. 31 regimental history for August 6/7 1916:

musketen.png

This is interesting, for it shows the employment of a platoon from one of the Musketen battalions at some distance from its parent company and battalion.

[Hoplophile]

I have a book in my possession called ! The employment if Machine Guns" part one tactical, I think it is British SS192.

I have noticed that, in wartime British descriptions of the German Army, the term "Lewis gun" is often used as a synonym for "light machine gun." That is, when they refer to "Lewis guns" in German use, they are not necessarily limiting themselves to the particular light machine gun invented by Isaac Newton Lewis.

That said, one can find, in German regimental histories, occasional references to the use of the "Lewis Gewehr." The one to come to mind is the reference, in the history of the 3rd Jäger-Sturm-Bataillon, to the "beliebte Lewis Gewehr" ("beloved Lewis gun.")

[stevebecker]

Mate,

Not only Germans used these weapons

Ottoman ORbat dated Oct 1917

For 3rd Cavalry Div

shown Oct 1917 Allied reports 6th Cav Regt (500 men 8 MG's) 8th Cav Regt (500 men 8 MG's) (7th Cav Regt + Bty 4 guns T/det to Arabia) att 125th Regt (16th Div) 650 men? 12 MGs including 8 x Lewis guns)

For what I can see from ottoman records these guns were used like the maxims in there heavy MG units, as Light German MGs had not arrived in Palestine at that stage of the war. But AR (automatic Rifles) possibly Bergman types, were due to arrive in Nov - Dec 1917. as a number were captured in fighting by the Australian Light Horse during these months from Ottoman soldiers

Ottoman MG units were trained by Germans, so they used the same tactics.

S.B