The Madsen Machine Gun

13 The Madsen [6 June 1918] Gun. 14 The factors for winning the war are, first, the ind'omitabl'e grit and heroism of of our men, which have been seen all through the war and will continue. The seconds is the Air Service—and here let me point out that the efficiency and ef- fectiveness of the Air Service will be enormously increased by the adoption of this gun. It is lighter, easier to handle, it does not get hot so quickly, and the barrel can be readily changed. These things make it a very much better weapon for the Ail’ Service than the gun they have now. It will mean a hundred-fold improve- ment if the Air Service is fitted with this gun. I know there is one objection to it—namely, that it is shorter, and that it is necessary not to show a flash in the air in order to avoid making a target. The gun did throw a tremendous flash, but a flash absorber has been placed on the muzzle (which I have seen) and it j has eliminated the flash altogether. Even on that point it is a better gun than the one they have now. The third factor for winning the war is machine-guns in the field. This is, per- haps, the most important, and that is 1 why I am so anxious to see this gun adopted. I need not remind your Lordships how often our men have to go over the top; come out of the trenches and charge down under a fire of hell over to the ene- i my’s trenches. Fancy a man with this light weapon, which he can fire from his shoulder without having to lie down or kneel, going over the top. It would give him an enormous advantage compared with having to carry along the Lewis or Hotch- kiss gun. There have been thousands of men killed and hundreds of trenches iost ; on account of the jamming of the Lewis j gun. I have already explained to your Lordships my experience of jamming. This gun does not jam; and not only that, it has a most clever contrivance-—a steel scabbard for its bayonet which fixes on to the gun, and the bayonet on to the scabbard, making it considerably longer than the German rifle with the bayonet. When I saw the Danish officer fire the gun the bayonet was fixed during the whole of the 12,000 rounds, so that you have all the advantages of the rifle (which has a bayonet and five cartridges) plus a machine-gun that is altogethei’ only 5 lbs. heavier than the rifle. Imagine a bat- talion, or two battalions, each man armed with this gun. They would themselves hang up and hold three divisions on the limited front which they covered. I know every one of yo(ur Lordships will agree that it is our bounden duty to give our gallant men the very best weapon we can possibly give them, independent of price, of trouble, or of contracts. This is the best weapon that has ever been seen, and I say there should, be no pedantic opposition to its being at once placed in the hands of the Army. I understand the Government’s difficulties, but I hope they will meet me and do their very best to surmount these difficulties. Personally, I will do my level best to get the gun into the Army, the Air Service, and the Ca- valry, as soon as it is possible to do so. I am afraid I have detained your Lord- ships rather long, but I have given you a statement of facts. I have attended the trials, seen other experts' who might have had different opinions from mine, and we are all unanimous, strongly unani- mous—men who have worked with ma- chine-guns in the field (which I have not) and have seen the practice and trials of the Madsen gun—that this is the best gun that it is possible to invent. I do not think I need dwell any longer on the subject. I have told your Lordships the gun’s advantages, how it has been tested, and given you the different weights as compared with the Lewis and Hotchkiss guns. With your Lordships’ permission I will conclude by moving a Resolution. Moved to resolve, That a full inquiry should be made by a Committee of ma- chine-gun experts into the capabilities of the latest pattern of the Danish Madsen machine-gun, and that one of these guns should be sent to British G.H.Q. in France and submitted for trials there by expert demonstrators.—(L ord Beresford.) Lord ELPHINSTONE: My Lords, the question of the Madsen gun which has been raised by the noble and gallant Lord, has excited so much interest in both Hou- ses of Parliament and throughout the country that I think it will be with the approval of your Lordships if, instead of merely categorically answering the lengthy series of Questions on the Paper, I take