Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

MG 08 Machine Gun and Sight

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Overview

The MG 08/15 Maxim machine gun is a short recoil operated, water cooled, full automatic, belt fed weapon. The operating system uses a two part toggle lock connected by a hinge which is located between the breech block and a barrel extension. The entire barrel extension and breech block recoil inside receiver against the tension of a spring located under the separate cover outside of the left receiver wall. The cocking handle is located on the rear axis of the toggle lock and serves as both an unlocking member and a breech block accelerator. The feed system use non disintegrating belts made from cloth or tarpaulin with metallic alignment struts. Ammunition feed is from the right side. The MG08/15 is usually attached to a bipod. The Maxim gun fires from closed bolt toggle lock action. The feed system uses non disintegrating belts, made from cloth or tarpaulin, with metallic struts. Feed was from the right side only and was accomplished through the horizontally pivoting pin / levers system by the recoiling barrel group.

Historical information

The Maschinengewehr 08, or MG 08, was the German Army's standard machine gun in World War I. The MG 08 is an adaptation of Hiram S. Maxim's original 1884 Maxim gun. It was produced in a number of variants during the war. The firing rate depends on the lock assembly used and averages between 500 and 600 rounds per minute. Telescopic sights were also developed and used in quantity during World War I to enable the machine gun for its long-range direct fire and indirect fire support roles.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-LTO 028

Inscriptions and markings

The sight is marked ZF12 No 4157 Emil Busch A-G Rathenow on the LHS and 1808 on the RHS. Detached gun sight for German Maxim machine guns, model ZF12 (Zielfernrohr 12), Serial No4157, by Emil Busch, A.G., Rathenow, Germany, 1912-1918.

Contextual Information

The low serial number identifies this sight as pre-1914 manufacture. This together with lack of wear and associated oral history and documentation suggests that it was used on a weapon in the Fusilier Regiment von Gerdsdorff (1 Kurkessiches) Nr 80 from Hannover and was taken as a war trophy/souvenir in 1914 when this unit then part of 42 Infabntry Brigade, 21 Division, XVIII Corps, 4th Army and was in retreat/withdrawing after the Battle of the Marne. The sight is currently mounted on an MG 08 provenanced as one captured by in 1918 at the Battle of Hamel by Jack Axford VC.

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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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