Australian Machine Gun Corps

Australian Machine Gun Corps
Machine gunners from the 24th Company, 4th Machine Gun Battalion, September 1918.
Active	1916–19
Country	Australia
Branch	Australia
Role	Direct and indirect fire support
Size	15 companies (1916) 5 battalions (1918) 4 light horse squadrons (1916–18)
Engagements	World War I Western Front Sinai and Palestine

World War I

The Australian Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the Australian Army which was formed for service during World War I. It was established in early 1916 as part of a reorganisation of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in Egypt as preparations were made to transfer the bulk of the AIF's infantry divisions to Europe to take part in the fighting on the Western Front. Initially, the corps was established into company or squadron sized elements, with a total of 20 companies being raised for service in Europe and four squadrons for service with the Australian Light Horse in the Middle East. In early 1918, the companies deployed to the Western Front were reorganised into five battalions, which were each assigned to an infantry division for defensive and offensive duties. These units were disbanded in mid-1919 following the end of hostilities.

The corps was formed in early 1916 following a reorganisation of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in Egypt, in the wake of the failed Gallipoli Campaign. As part of preparations to transfer the infantry elements to the Western Front, the AIF was doubled and at this time, the line infantry units were required to detach their machine gun sections to be grouped together into machine gun companies, which were then assigned at brigade level, with each company being equipped with 16 Vickers machine guns. These men were subsequently transferred from the infantry to the machine gun corps. In implementing this restructure, the Australian Army mirrored similar changes that were occurring in the British Army around the same time, which had seen the establishment of the British Machine Gun Corps in October 1915.