What Tommy Took to War by Peter Doyle

Author:Peter Doyle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: What Tommy Took to War 1914–1918
ISBN: 9780747814030
Publisher: Osprey Publishing Ltd

WEBLEY MARK VI

The large, heavy .455 calibre Webley Mark VI revolver was the standard side-arm of the British soldier during the Great War. Bought as the ‘Service Revolver’ by most officers, this distinctive weapon was also issued to machine-gunners and tank crews, men who required a revolver in case their principal weapons were rendered useless. The Mark VI was first introduced in May 1915 and became the most common service revolver used by the end of the war. It replaced the Mark IV, which had seen much service in the Boer War, and the Mark V, which was an updated and strengthened version that was introduced in 1913; both had 4-inch barrels and a ‘bird’s-head’ butt, and fired .38 calibre bullets. The larger Mark VI was distinguished by its longer, 6-inch barrel, its square butt, and its larger, ‘man-stopping’ bullet; it was nevertheless difficult to aim effectively and had a maximum range of 50 yards – though, even then, hitting the target was a challenge. The weapon was holstered on the belt and was attached to a simple looped lanyard that was worn around the neck, intended to prevent the gun being dropped into the mud or dust often experienced while on active service. While officers’ holsters were typically equipped with a flap, fastened with a brass post, those issued to other ranks were open-topped with a simple strap that was worn with webbing equipment and a small ammunition pouch. Some 300,000 Mark VI Webleys were made for war service.

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