Belt repairing parts

Cat No. C1/BD 2652, List of changes A 3312, TOOLS, BELT REPAIRING, VICKERS .303-IN. M.G., MK. 1 – Also for .5-in. belts

Originally designed for use with the stripped ammunition belts of the Maxim .303-inch and .45-inch gun, there were also used for the .5-inch Vickers Guns.

There was also a leather case that fits the tool, however, whether it was intended to do is not yet determined and it is equally as likely to be for a small pair of wire-cutters or pliers. The leather case shown below is dated 1915 and has a metal loop and leather belt loop on the rear.

Are issued for the repair of .303-in. and .5-in. belts and should be used as instructed below.
Remove the damaged strips and eyelets.
If a long strip requires fitting, first join the two faces of the strip by placing an eyelet in the hold of the dished end and inserting the punch of the tool into the unopened end of the eyelet, the opened end to rest upon the die, and gently press the handles together. Reverse the punch and repeat the operation. Keep the strip horizontal, and with the punch of the tool as the centre, move the handles of the tool backward and forward in a circular direction until the head of the eyelet is correctly shaped.
Put the strips into position on the belt, insert the eyelets, and repeat the above operation.
Short strips are fitted in a similar manner except that they do not require to be joined at one end before being placed on the belt.
Care must be taken to press the eyelets as far through the strips as possible before using the tool.

Source: War Office, 1940a

Eyeletting tool

Cat No. C1/BD 2655, TOOLS, EYELETING, M.G., MK. 1 – Set consisting of block, guide pin and punch; for repair of Vickers gun belts fitted with brass strips
Cat No. C1/BD 2656, TOOLS, EYELETING, M.G., MK. 1, Blocks
Cat No. C1/BD 2657, TOOLS, EYELETING, M.G., MK. 1, Pins, guide
Cat No. C1/BD 2658, TOOLS, EYELETING, M.G., MK. 1, Punches

Component parts:

In Army Order 374 of July 1922, 1/2oz. of long eyelets and 25 each of short and long strips were added to Table 10 of the Equipment Regulations – presumably this was their inclusion in the spare parts box.

Strips, Short

The Vickers stripped ammunition belts had two lengths of brass strip within its structure. This is the shorter type that appeared as three-in-every-four of the strips.

Strips, Long

The Vickers stripped ammunition belts had two lengths of brass strip within its structure. This is the longer type that appeared as one-in-every-four of the strips.

Eyelets, Long

The Vickers stripped ammunition belts had two lengths of brass strip within its structure. These are the eyelets that rivetted a pair of strips together either side of the belt fabric.