Another Andy’s Rubbish and Ramblings for you, it’s a couple of days late, I have had a very full week. This time I’m revisiting a subject I have previously covered, adding a couple of extra items .
Germany mastered the tactical deployment of machine guns prior to WW1. Gunners were well trained and well
disciplined soldiers. Machine gunners were seen as elite troops and during the winter of 1915-1916 a new type of Specialist Machine Gun unit was introduced. Machine Gun marksman sections, Machine Gun Scharfschutzen- Trupps “MGSS”. These units were made up of troops selected from existing MG units and underwent instruction as specialised training centres in Brandenburg, Hammelburg and Belgium. The training focused on using the Machine guns offensively (for attack) these MGSS units were first deployed in the battle of Verdun during March 1916. Eventually there were approximately 200 MGSS sections formed (approximately one per division).
The MGSS troops were identified by their sleeve insignia, a MG08 surrounded by a belt of ammunition. period photos of MGSS troops show the insignia proudly displayed. The badges are usually mounted on field grey price of cloth with a backing plate; the badge was stitched to the tunic sleeve. Early production insignia was finished in gold colour (gilded), later production was painted field grey and cloth variants have been identified. There has been much debate about these badges over the years, some dispute the fact they were used in combat and few images show the insignia being worn. Quite simply the MGSS troops were vastly outnumbered by regular MG troops and the majority of images will be of the latter. Attached are some period images of the insignia being worn.
One disadvantage of the MGSS insignia was ready identification of a soldier as a machine gunner if captured. These guys were liable to be given “special treatment” due to the heavy toll the MG had on opposing troops. Many such badges would have been hurriedly removed and discarded because of this just as they would have been removed on capture for souvenirs as taking a machine gun was considered a huge event by those capturing guns and positions.
The examples depicted are a nicely gilded pressed steel Falkenberg & Richter , it is missing the cloth backing, however it retains the metal backing plate. The second field grey offering being a late war Junker produced badge, made from pressed steel and paint finished. Most of the securing pins are broken from the rear and the backing plate is long gone but it is a nice original.
A second Falkenburg and Richter example has been added to the post, this one has the cloth backing intact, thanks to Denis Seguin for contributing this.
I have also included an identity disc, this has been damaged, interestingly it is a MGSS marked disc.
The MGSS badge is a hard item to find, they are available but if you are considering adding one to your collection I would advise doing some homework first and studying the detail of known original examples as the majority of such badges on the market are reproduction. There are also post WW1 era badges used by the Freikorps that pop up for sale occasion.