Join us for our October talk when Malcolm Baxter will be our guest speaker talking about the Machine Gun Corps and the Belton and Harrowby Camps in the 1st World War.
The First World War was a new type of war, one of trenches and newly developed technologies such as the machine gun. The Generals soon found out how important the machine gun was going to be and worked quickly to match the German army’s use of this weapon.
The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was created by Royal Warrant on 14th October 1915, followed by an Army Order on 22nd October. The Base Depot and HQ in England were established at Belton Park and Harrowby Camps with an additional Base Depot in France at Camiers.
As well as training the newly formed MGC, Belton was also used as a military hospital and POW camp.