1 / 50

Weapons of WWI

Weapons of WWI. Machine Gun. The machine gun was a fairly primitive device when general war began in August 1914.  Each weighed somewhere between 65 lbs.-130 lbs. The 1914 machine gun Positioned on a flat tripod Require a gun crew of four to six operators . Machine Gun.

marnie
Download Presentation

Weapons of WWI

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Weapons of WWI

  2. Machine Gun • The machine gun was a fairly primitive device when general war began in August 1914.  • Each weighed somewhere between 65 lbs.-130 lbs. • The 1914 machine gun • Positioned on a flat tripod • Require a gun crew of four to six operators 

  3. Machine Gun • In theory they could fire 400-600 small-caliber rounds per minute • These early machine guns would rapidly overheat • Became inoperative without the aid of cooling mechanisms • They were consequently fired in short rather than sustained bursts.

  4. Machine Guns • Whether air or water cooled, machine guns still jammed frequently • Especially in hot conditions or when used by inexperienced operators. • Consequently machine guns would often be grouped together to maintain a constant defensive position.

  5. Machine Guns • Estimates said that a single machine gun to be worth as many as 80 rifles • By 1918 however one-man portable machine guns were put to some use • Each weighing about 15-30 lbs • The formidable Bergman MP 18 submachine gun was one type

  6. Machine Guns • As the war developed machine guns were adapted for use on tanks • Light machine guns were adopted for incorporation in aircraft from 1915 onwards • The Vickers enabled the pilot to fire the gun through the aircraft's propeller blades with interrupter equipment

  7. Machine Guns • In response to the increasing success of machine guns mounted on aircraft, machine guns were developed as anti-aircraft devices • Sometimes mounted on vehicles • Machine guns began to be added to warships

  8. Bayonets • According to tradition the bayonet was developed in Bayonne, France, in the early 17th century.  • The bayonet was used by all sides from 1914-18

  9. Bayonets • Perfect for close combat fighting • Seldom actually used • Experienced soldiers generally preferring other methods, carrying improvised • clubs, blades or knuckledusters. • Bayonets continued to be commonly issued in the Second World War.

  10. Flamethrowers • Invented by Germans • The basic idea of a flamethrower is to spread fire by launching burning fuel • The earliest flamethrowers date as far back as the 5th century B.C.

  11. Flamethrowers • 2 types of Flamethrowers developed by the Germans • The smaller, lighter Flammenwerfer • Designed for portable use • Carried by a single man • The larger Grossflammenwerfer • Not suitable for transport by a single person • Maximum range was twice that of the smaller model

  12. Flamethrowers • Dangerous Job • The tanks would often blow up • The French and British aimed for the tanks. • Their life expectancy was therefore short. • By the close of the war the flamethrower use had been extended to use on tanks.

  13. Grenades • The Germans were ahead in most things at the start of the war in August 1914 • This included grenade development.  • Even as war began the Germans had 70,000 hand grenades ready

  14. German Grenades • Stielhandgranate • (stick bomb)

  15. German Grenades • Diskushandgranate • (disc grenade)

  16. German Grenades • Eierhandgranate – • egg grenade - was also popular given its great throwing range, up to 50 yards. 

  17. German Grenades • Kugelhandgranate • (ball grenade, which included the grenade referred to by the British as the 'pineapple grenade').

  18. Grenades • The British bombing team usually consisted of nine men at a time: • an NCO, • two throwers, • two carriers, • two bayonet-men to defend the team • two 'spare' men for use when casualties were incurred.

  19. Grenades • 2 types of Grenades – • Hand or rifle • detonated in one of two ways.  • impact (percussion) or via a timed fuse • Most infantry preferred time fuses instead of impact • Afraid of accidents

  20. Greatest Grenade Battle of the War (Don’t write) • Undoubtedly the greatest grenade battle of the war occurred on the Pozieres Heights on the night of 26-27 July 1916. • Lasting for twelve-and-a-half hours without a break the Australians, with British support, exchanged grenades with their German foes (who threw multiple types of grenade: sticks, cricket balls, egg bombs and rifle grenades).  • The allied contingent alone threw some 15,000 Mills bombs during the night. • Many grenadiers were killed that night, while many others simply fell down due to complete exhaustion.

  21. Grenades With the conclusion of World War One the grenade continued to hold its place within the armory of every nation's army

  22. Traditionally issued to officers of all armies • Also issued to military police, airmen and tank operators. • Men in tight quarters needed smaller weapons Pistols

  23. Rifles • The Number One Infantry Weapon • Easy to carry • Rifles were for Infantry and pistols were for officers • a greater impact was dependent upon the training and skill of the rifle operator himself • snipers

  24. Snipers • Worked day and night • trained marksmen would function essentially as assassins, • often targeting any moving object behind enemy lines, • even if they were engaged in peaceable tasks • overall number of casualties claimed by snipers were small • they played an important role in sapping enemy morale

  25. Snipers • Soldiers knew that they could not walk about freely along exposed trenches • anyone unwise enough to peep above the front line could expect a well-aimed bullet in the head • as often happened

  26. Poison Gas • First used by the French • In the first month of the war, August 1914, they fired tear-gas grenades against the Germans • The debut of the first poison gas however came on 22 April 1915 • chlorine •   Within seconds of inhaling its vapor it destroyed the victim's respiratory organs, bringing on choking attacks

  27. Poison Gas • Germans begin using it a lot • Neutral countries begin to get nervous • Countries started researching own chemicals

  28. Poison Gas • Germany unveiled an enhanced form of gas weaponry against the Russians in September 1917 • Mustard gas, • an almost odorless chemical, • Caused serious blisters it caused both internally and externally • brought on severalhours after exposure  • Protection against mustard gas proved more difficult than against either chlorine or phosgene gas.

  29. Diminishing Effectiveness of Gas • Although gas claimed a notable number of casualties during its early use, • once the crucial element of surprise had been lost • the overall number of casualties quickly diminished. 

  30. Poison Gas Casualties From Gas - The Numbers

  31. Early Use of the Tank • An Aid to the Infantry • The British Tank Corps • (consisted of 474 tanks) • saw action at the Battle of Cambari on 20November 1917 Tanks…You’re Welcome!!

  32. Tank deployment on the grand scale was reached on 8 August 1918 • 604 tanks assisted a 20 mile advance on the Western Front. Tanks

  33. Tank Production 1916-18

More Related