Deactivated WW2 Vickers MKI Machinegun

This is a WWII Vickers MKI machine gun. The serial number B1958 dates to late 1944 and is one of only 12,300 or so produced by Lithgow during wartime production. This gun is from the very last batch ever produced by Lithgow, their final batch of just 1,515 guns. Serial numbers ran from B784 to B2299 (1 July 1944 to 30 June 1945) with gun being number B1958. The tripod cradle is dated 1942 and is matched to the tripod S/N 4548. This is also Aussie made by Randwick Tramways (RT). Both gun and tripod have their original military painted finish. The Vickers is deactivated with a working action.

During this late stage of WWII Australia was still in the thick of it fighting the Japanese at sea and on land. Australia had always feared an invasion by Japanese forces who had planed to invade mainland Australia as early as 1942. Although Germany surrendered in May 1945, war with Japan continued until their surrender in August and the formal signing in September 1945 bring hostilities to an end.

The Vickers is one of most iconic and instantly recogniseable British machine guns being used is both world wars and continuing in service with the British army well into the 1960s.

Included is a 1943 dated Eyelets of Melbourne 250 round canvas belt, containing several inert .303 rounds and an RAF issued wooden "jungle pack" ammo box. The Vickers comes fitted with an original brass dial sight bracket.