Strelets Forum

Welcome to the Strelets Forum.
Please feel free to discuss any aspect of 1/72 scale plastic figures, not simply Strelets.
If you have any questions about our products then we will answer them here.

Strelets Forum
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: Masters for WWI Turkish Infantry in tropical uniform are up.

Thank you Ironsides. I was unable to spot an Ottoman in Y straps. This page does not mention them either (scroll down to see the equipment kit):
http://www.ottoman-uniforms.com/ww1-ottoman-army-uniforms/

Re: Masters for WWI Turkish Infantry in tropical uniform are up.

Some more photos (243) this time Turkish, Austrians and Germans.. somewhere in there is a pic of Turkish soldiers with captured Lewis guns...

World War I in Palestine and the Sinai

I do have a photo of German? troops in tropical kit using a Bergmann LMG so its possible some of those captured MGs previously shown are Bergmanns, but it does prove at least that almost anything is possible as far as MGs are concerned...

http://modernfirearms.net/machine/de/machine-gun-bergmann-1915-mg-15-na-e.html

I cant say I've seen a Y strap on any Turkish troops, fact is it doesn't seem to be a popular method during WW1 other then possibly for German cavalry...
The usual method seems to be an improvised strap around the back of the neck supporting the belt, now this I have seen on Turkish soldiers...

Re: Masters for WWI Turkish Infantry in tropical uniform are up.

ironsides
Heres a pic of a number of captured "Turkish" MGs, the soldiers are Arab Revolt not Turks per se... The Guns include two Russian Maxims, a bunch of other water cooled maxims, probably MG08s/MG09s and what looks like some light machine guns on bipod mounts (though they may not be) these could be Lewis, Hotchiss, Madsen or even Schwazlose MGs...

Captured Mgs

All these guns have been in use by the Turks and in this case would likely be used by the Arab forces post capture.... Ammo and parts willing




It anyone was interested in this pic of captured Turkish MGS an article here gives some details:

"On 26 January a large force of Turks from Kerak attacked the Arabs at Seil el-Hesa, where severe fighting took place. This resulted in a brilliant victory for the Arabs, who killed 500 of the enemy and captured 250, including Hamid Bey, the O.C. 48th Division. Only about fifty Turks escaped in the direction of Kerak, and all officers were killed or captured. The booty consisted of two powerful Austrian mountain guns, nine automatic rifles*, twenty-three machine-guns (including fifteen German Maxim machine-guns) and 800 rifles. About 200 mules and horses were also taken and distributed among the Bedouin."

http://www.telstudies.org/writings/works/articles_essays/180211_first_reports_from_tafila.shtml

*maybe captured Lewis or Hotchkiss guns in use by the Turkish forces, machine guns refers to Hmgs on tripod or other forms of mountings.

An account of the battle by T.E.Lawrence worth reading:

http://www.telstudies.org/writings/works/articles_essays/1918_battle_of_seil_el-Hasa.shtml



Re: Masters for WWI Turkish Infantry in tropical uniform are up.

Thank you Ironsides. The mentioning of "automatic rifles" is rather intriguing.

Re: Masters for WWI Turkish Infantry in tropical uniform are up.

Pa
Thank you Ironsides. The mentioning of "automatic rifles" is rather intriguing.


It's what was then the common term at least in English for what we would now call a light machine gun, and most likley used in the case of any bipod mounted weapon such as the Lewis, Hotchkiss portative(as used by ALH and at least some by Arab troops as Lawrence mentions them, as well as the Turks who used captured examples), Madsen, CSRG Chauchat and possibly the light Bergman etc...
My understanding is that any gun on a fixed mounting like a tripod, and capable of sustained fire was considered a Machine Gun proper...

Re: Masters for WWI Turkish Infantry in tropical uniform are up.

Thanks again. I was not aware of that.