A02150
Photograph A02150 First World War, 1914-1918An unidentified machine gunner of D Company, 10th Battalion at his post near the Pimple at Anzac, covering Lone Pine with his field of fire, a Maxim Model 1893 machine gun on a Mark IV Mount.
Improvised machine gun flash extinguisher : Steele's Post, Gallipoli Accession Number: RELAWM00419
Description
Steel flash extinguisher [suppressor] for a machine gun. It is made from a piece of flat steel rolled to form a cylinder, held together by rivets. There are three shrapnel holes near the rivets. At one end there is an 'L' shape cut out, and across from it has been cut a large square section, with two thinner rectangular sections cut out. At the other end is a thin rectangular section cut out of the item, which is slightly misshapen.
Contextual Description
This improvised machine gun flash extinguisher [suppressor] was found in January 1919 by Lieutenant William Hopkin James. James was working on Gallipoli, leading a small party from the Australian War Records Section, taking photographs and collecting items for the national collection.
This flash extinguisher was placed over the barrel of a machine gun - probably a .303 Vickers machine gun. The role of the flash extinguisher is to suppress the brightness of the muzzle flash when firing. This is especially important in low light or night time, so as not to blind the soldier firing the machine gun, and to reduce the brightness so the position is not revealed to the enemy.
Details
Accession Number
RELAWM00419
Maker
Unknown
Classification
Technology
Object Type
Firearm component
Physical Description
Material: Steel
Measurement
Overall: 610 mm length x 115 mm diameter
Date Made
c 1915
Place Made
Whole/Part
Whole
Item Count
1
Copyright
Copyright not applicable
Conflicts
Places
Tags
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