Group    From 14/10/1915  To 15/7/1922

Machine Gun Corps

Categories: Armed Forces

A corps of the British army. It was formed in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. It had four branches (Infantry, Cavalry, Motor and Heavy). The heavy branch was the first to use land tanks in combat, and subsequently became the Tank Corps and later, the Royal Tank Regiment. At the end of the war, the corps saw service in other conflicts, before being disbanded as a cost-cutting measure.

The corps served in France, Flanders, Russia, Italy, Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Salonica, India, Afghanistan and East Africa.  The last unit of the Corps to be disbanded was the depot at Shorncliffe.  The total number who served in the Corps was some 11,500 officers, and 159,000 other ranks of whom 1,120 officers and 12,671 other ranks were killed and 2,881 officers and 45,377 other ranks were wounded, missing or prisoners of war. That casualty rate, about a third, was very high and justifies the Corps' nickname: the Suicide Squad.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Machine Gun Corps

Commemorated ati

Boy David

Commissioned to create a WW1 memorial to the Machine Gun Corps Derwent Wood p...

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Machine Gun Corps memorial

The statue is of the boy David holding Goliath's sword (the clue is in the si...

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Other Subjects

P. F. J. Lemon

P. F. J. Lemon

Resident of the West Ward, Hendon who served and died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment

Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment

A line infantry regiment of the English and later the British Army. It was amalgamated with the East Surrey Regiment, to form a single county regiment called the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment.

Group, Armed Forces

2 memorials
Royal Arsenal Main Guardhouse

Royal Arsenal Main Guardhouse

Built to the order of the Master-General of the Ordnance. Up to 1844 security at Royal Arsenal was provided by the Royal Artillery. Guard duties were then shared with ;the Metropolitan Police who t...

Building, Armed Forces

1 memorial
J. S. Mann

J. S. Mann

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
4th Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)

4th Battalion (Royal Fusiliers)

London unit which served in WW1.

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial