Vickers machine gun of 1/7th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), 1944

Photograph, World War Two, North West Europe (1944-1945), 1944.

The water-cooled .303 inch Vickers was famed for its reliability and could fire over 600 rounds per minute and had a range of 4,500 yards. With proper handling, it could sustain a rate of fire for hours, providing a necessary supply of belted ammunition, spare barrels and cooling water was available. First introduced in 1912, the Vickers remained in service with the British Army until 1968.

1/7th Battalion landed in Normandy in late June 1944. It was involved in the bitter struggle to capture Caen and in the subsequent advance into Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

One of 47 photographs relating to 7th Battalion The Middlesex Regiment, 1941-1945.