Machine Gunner Mannequins: British 2nd Manchesters, Burma, 1945

In a new series of videos, we are going to take a closer look at the personal equipment of machine gunners through the mannequins that we have on display in the collection.
This is the uniform and personal equipment as worn by a machine gunner of the 2nd Battalion of the Manchester Regiment during the campaign in Burma 1944 to 1945. Some of the equipment spans 1943 to 1945 so isn’t entirely accurate to all be worn or carried at once but is representative.
Also, as I say in the video, we want to ensure most of our funds are invested in the machine guns rather than uniforms, equipment or display items so have to make some compromises that a uniform or equipment collector wouldn’t.
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[@kevinofishero]

Amazing video which must have needed a lot of research... brilliant stuff.

[@vickersmg]

Thanks as always Kevin. A lot of it is off the top of my head and 'spouting' the years of research from memory rather than specific prep. That might well come across as my 'ums' and 'ahs' fill the gap while I recall things. I last wore this stuff in 2005 I think.

[@matthewmoss1589]

Cracking stuff mate

[@vickersmg]

Cheers Matt

[@peterorford1401]

Very interesting my father was in the 2nd Manchester's and was at the relief of Kohima and then on to Inphal I think . That information means a lot to me as it gives me more background to his time away in the far East . Thanks

[@vickersmg]

That’s super feedback. Thank you Peter. Do you have a copy of the commanding officer’s memoirs? Rex King-Clark was his name.

[@peterorford1401]

@@vickersmg Yes my main aim is to the Manchester museum before I get too Old ! thanks for quick reply

[@peterorford1401]

In fact my Dad spoke about King Clarke as he was his C.O . We have so much to thank that generation for he came back to London to his wife and continued his job as a builder and then back to Ireland to work on the family farm no one there knew about his time in Burma, all he wanted to do was think about the future not the past .

[@vickersmg]

Well if you ever want to know more about the Vickers machine gun and how it was used, please pay us a visit in Swindon, Wiltshire. vickersmg.blog/visits/

[@WWIIUK]

Excellent video, the machete is indeed of Indian manufactur. It is called a Dah, the pattern was adopted in 1943 and as far as I can tell based off of a design native to Burma. They where usaly warn on the right hip behind the basic pouch. Very few soldiers liked the dah due to its inability to keep a sharp edge as a result of the steel quality used to make the blade. Usually soldiers carried ether a machete or a kukri. Very few soldiers seem to have carried both. But as with many thing there are exceptions.

[@vickersmg]

Thank you. I just couldn't remember the name of it! The kukri that I have on the mannequin usually is there for convenience of somewhere 'relevant' to having it. It seems those who do carry both are general Gurkhas, who would have the Kukri anyway I suppose.

[@charpoychindit719]

I very much doubt that 2 Manch were wearing (home)dyed KD in 1945. The factories of India had been manufacturing green uniforms since 1943. However, it does demonstrate why dying didn't work well; that looks like KD now. There are a lot of 're-enactorisms' present here, not just the dylon; for example the WPG half-button drill shirts.

[@vickersmg]

Yes, absolutely, as I say in both the video and the text introduction, it’s a mash-up of periods and the dyed-KD would be much earlier. It just wouldn’t have lasted and I’ve kept it as is to demonstrate some of the changes over time.

[@jonprince3237]

Additionally, there is a fairly complete range of original late war Indian made jungle clothing available to view by any visitors to the Vickers collection, including Indian JG trousers, shorts, Airtex blouses and Bush shirts, wool shirts and sweaters, the monsoon cape and liner, cotton underwear and various headdress, it's just not on mannequins.