Maxim MG08/15 Light Machine Gun : Sergeant A Cormack, 13 Battalion, AIF

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 used non disintegrating belts made from cloth or tarpaulin with metallic alignment struts. Ammunition feed is from the right side. The Maxim gun fires from closed bolt toggle lock action. The top cover plate is engraved with the serial number MG08/15 Gwf ERFURT 1917. The barrel is water cooled and has a plain tubular jacket that has a condenser pipe fitting at the rear. A bipod is attached to the weapon. The cone muzzle compensator and the pistol grip trigger assembly are missing. Painted overall matt black and there are remains of some lettering on the top of the barrel jacket.

This machine gun was captured by Sgt A Cormack, 13th Battalion at Zonnebeke on 26 September 1917. While on patrol in no-man's land on the night before the 4th Brigade's attack north of Polygon Wood, Sgt Cormack located a machine gun post which was at the time too strong for him to attack. Taking a careful note of its position he directed a party towards it and after the main attack was launched managed to capture it as well as 15 German prisoners and 9 other machine guns.