The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army, but used by most Commonwealth armies and many fighter planes.

During the Second World War, machine guns were initially brigaded into single formations to provide better flexibility and improved performance. However, unlike the British Army, the Jungle Divisions Infantry Battalions retained their MG Companies and the Divisional MG Battalions provided additional support.

This meant that the maximum possible number of Vickers MMGs within an Australian Infantry Division was much greater than that of the equivalent British formation. Reinforcing the jungle doctrine of maximum flexibility and firepower.

The weapon had a reputation for great solidity and reliability. Ian V. Hogg, in Weapons & War Machines, describes an action that took place in August 1916, during which the British 100th Company of the Machine Gun Corps fired their ten Vickers guns to deliver sustained fire for twelve hours. Using 100 barrels, they fired a million rounds without breakdowns. “It was this absolute foolproof reliability which endeared the Vickers to every soldier who ever fired one. It never broke down; it just kept on firing and came back for more.”

Hogg, Ian V.; Batchelor, John (1976). Weapons & War Machines. London: Phoebus. p. 62. ISBN978-0-7026-0008-1.

Tomorrow I start the PB!