1951: Appendix III

MMG SKILL-AT-ARMS – CONDITIONS OF QUALIFICATION

General

1. Before a NCO or man becomes eligible to undergo the MMG Test he must:-

(a) Be a fully trained machine gunner.
(b) Have recently passed Tests of Elementary Training Nos. 1 to 11 inclusive, as laid down in Lesson 60.

2. The MMG test will consist of:-

(a) Part I – The Fire Discipline test.
(b) Part II – Tests to be fired on open range at 600 yards or on the 30 yards range.

3. All personnel who qualify will be eligible for “star” pay for the subsequent 12 months, at the end of which period they must qualify again.

4. The tests will be conducted by an officer, fully qualified as a medium machine gun instructor, who will, whenever possible, be from a unit other than the one undergoing the tests.

5. Battle order as laid down for the unit will be worn for the tests.

6. Should a stoppage occur during a times test in Part II due to defective mechanism or faulty ammunition, sufficient time to remedy the stoppage will be allowed.

MMG SKILL-AT-ARMS TEST

PART I – FIRE DISCIPLINE (without ammunition)

Aim

7. To test the man, as No. 1 of a gun in a direct fire unit, in:-

(a) Recognition of the correct target and of the correct point of aim on the target.
(b) Correct method of applying fire according to the method of fire ordered.
(c) Quick and accurate re-laying on order “Stop”.

Description

8. The practices will be carried out in the open country, and when this is not feasible a landscape target will be used. It comprises three tests, ie, the engagement of one point and two traversing targets.

Preliminary arrangements

9. Equipment required: guns and tripods.

10. Any suitable number of fire units (2 guns) may be employed simultaneously provided that the fire controller can be heard. Guns may be placed close together for the purpose of the tests, and should be arranged in pairs. The following are required to conduct the test:-

One supervising officer for each pair of fire units (total 4 guns).
A fire controller (officer or senior NCO).
One testing NCO for each gun, who should rehearse their duties beforehand.

11. No. 1 will take post and be informed whether his gun represents No. 1 or No. 2 gun of the fire unit. He will test his clamp, assisted if necessary by the testing NCO. (Nos. 2 are not required.)

12. The fire controller will place himself where all Nos. 1 can hear him, and will describe the arc of fire and reference points.

Method of conducting

13. The fire controller will give fire orders to engage the following – at least two of the indications should require aids:-

A point target. A linear target having the same range at each end.
An oblique target having a different range to each end.
He will use no signals throughout the fire order. The order to “Fire” etc will be given verbally in each fire order, fictitious or actual ranges being included.

14. During the execution of each fire order, the testing NCO will check the No. 1 of his gun as follows:-

(a) When the fire controller orders “Lay,” he will check the aim and note whether No. 1 has recognized the correct target and laid on the correct portion of the target according to the nature of the fire order.
(b) When the order “Fire” is given, he will notice whether No. 1 traverses correctly, ie, in correct direction, checking aim, etc.
(c) When the order “Stop” is given, he will check the aim (irrespective of whether the original aim was the correct one or not).

In each of the above the No. 1 will be either right or wrong and the testing NCO will record accordingly.

Note:- The supervising officer, at his discretion, will check the decisions of the testing NCOs. He will not allow No. 1 to call for a repeat of the indication unless, in his opinion, the indication has been at fault.

Scoring

15. The standard will be assessed by the following deductions:-

For each case of incorrect recognition	3 points
For each case of incorrect laying	1 point
For each case of incorrect traversing	1 point
For each case of not re-laying	1 point

Standard

16.	Standard A.	Not more than a total of 2 points deducted.
	Standard B.	Not more than a total of 4 points deducted.
	Standard C.	More than a total of 4 points deducted.

PART II.
To be fired on open Range at 600 yards or on the 30 yards range.
Test	Range	Target	Rounds	Detail	Remarks
1	25	White screen with aiming mark	15	Aim: To test the practical application of controlled corrections, direct fire. (i) Rounds to be spaced in three groups of 5 rounds each. (ii) Before the practice begins the fire will test and adjust the clamp. (iii) The gun will be mounted, loaded and laid on the aiming mark with the necessary range on the sight to hit the aiming mark. (This should be in the neighbourhood of 450 yards). (iv) The order “Fire” will be given. (v) After firing the first burst the firer will be given a range correction of not less than 200 and not more than 400 yards. (vi) Before firing the final burst the firer will be given, in addition to the range correction, a correction for line of 2 or 3 taps.	(see para 18).Each shot within a 2½ by 2½ ins square – 2 points. Standard A – 20 points. B – 10 to 19 points. C – less than 10 points.
2	25	White screen with aiming mark	15	Aim: To test the man in the practical application of controlled corrections, indirect fire. (i) Rounds to be spaced in three groups of 5 rounds. (ii) The gun will be mounted with the dial sight attached. (iii) Using the tangent sight, the gun will be laid on the aiming mark. The tangent sight will be lowered and the quadrant elevation recorded. The aiming post will be put out and the lensatic sight aligned on it. (iv) The orders “Load” and “Fire” will be given and corrections ordered for range and line.	Scoring. As for Test 1
3	25	4 white screens with aiming marks	40	Aim: To test the man in maintaining the gun in action by remedying stoppages. (i) In this test the man will in turn remedy four stoppage, relay correctly, and fire a burst after each. (ii)(a) Four guns will be mounted with suitable intervals between guns. (ii)(b) Each gun will be set up with a stoppage and the crank handle will be covered with a cloth. Sufficient live rounds will be placed in the belt to ensure that a burst of at least 5 rounds can be fired on the target after the stoppage has been remedied. Stoppages may be set up with live rounds or drill cartridges, whichever is convenient. The majority of stoppages prepared will be the longer ones; not more than one short stoppage, eg, misfire, weak charge, will be set up. (iii) Time allowed for the test – 1 min 45 secs from the command “Go” until the last burst is fired. On the command “Go” the man will get down behind No. 1 gun, carry out the IA relay, and fire on the target. He will repeat this procedure at each gun.	Scoring (i) Points up to a maximum of 68 will be allotted as follows:- Time (not over 1 min 45 secs) – 20 points Correct IA – 10 points at each gun – 40 points Correct relaying – 2 points for each gun – 8 points (ii) Timing – For every 3 secs or part of 3 secs over time, a deduction of 1 point will be made. (iii) Correct Immediate Action (IA) – Any authorized method of IA will be permitted provided that the gun is not liable to be damaged and the firer etc, is not endangered. The following deductions will be made:- Failure to carry out necessary IA – minus 10 points Action likely to damage the gun – minus 2 points Minor errors – minus 1 point (iv) Laying – Will be judged by the relation of the centre of the group to the aiming point as follows, allowances also being made for the lateral displacement of the foresight. (See para 18):- Laid correctly within 2½-in by 2½-in square Laid incorrectly within 5-in by 5-in square Not relaid, if beyond either above limits For inaccurate laying deduct 1 point and for not relaying 2 points Standard A – 55 points or over B – Under 55 points and not less than 35 points C – Less than 35 points
4(a)	600	Prepared patch on stop butts	75	Aim: To register the correct range and wind allowance before applying fire (i) Rounds to be spaced in groups of 25. (ii) Gun will be mounted and loaded. When the order “Fire” is given the firer will engage the patch and register the range and wind allowance necessary to hit the centre of it	(i) This practice is only necessary when firing Tests 4(b), 5 or 6 at 600 yards. (ii) If observation of strike is difficult, the MPI of each burst with reference to the centre of the patch will be signalled from the butts on a 4 foot target hoisted for the purpose.
4(b)	600	4 ft	25 to be fired in one burst	Aim: To test the man in engaging a target using an aiming mark (i) The gun will be mounted and loaded. (ii) The target will be indicated to the firer (iii) The range and order “Lay” will be given and the firer will set the sights and lay on the target. (iv) The order “Pick up aiming mark” will be given; whereupon the firer will act in accordance with the procedure given in Lesson 72. (v) The gun will be tapped off slightly and the elevating wheel turned by the supervising NCO. (vi) On the command “Fire” the firer will engage the target with the aid of the aiming mark. (vii) Time allowed 25 secs from the command “Fire”.	Scoring on 600 yards range.Deductions. One-fifth of the total hits obtained will be deducted for each second the firer continues after the signal “Stop” has been given. Standard A – 5 hits B – 2 – 4 hits C – less than 2 hits
4(b)	OR 25, if 600 yards range not available	White screen with aiming mark	15 to be fired in one burst	As above, with the addition that after picking up an aiming mark, the target will be covered with a strip of canvas.	Scoring on 30 yards range (see para 18).For each shot within a 2½-in by 2½-in rectangle – 2 points. For each shot outside 2½-in by 2%frac12;-in square but within a 5-in by 5-in square – 1 point. Deductions – as above. Standard A – 25 points B – 15 to 24 points C – less than 15 points
5	600	Coloured screen (Appendix II, Details of MG Targets, Serial 4)	125	Aim: To test the practical application of fire on a point target (i) Rounds will not be spaced, but bursts of 25 rounds will be fired. (ii) The gun will be mounted and loaded but not laid on the screen for testing the clamp. (iii) On the order “Fire”, the firer will engage the target by tapping right and left one tap. (iv) He will fire 5 bursts and may check his aim and, if necessary, relay twice only, immediately before the third and firth bursts.	Scoring For each hit on the centre section up to 35 – 1 point. For each hit on the flank sections up to 25 on each section – 1 point. Deductions: 25 points for each section not hit Standard A – 60 points B – 40 points C – less than 40 points NOTE: No firer can qualify Standard A without obtaining at least 35 hits on the centre section of the screen.
5	OR 25, if 600 yards range not available	Representative target:-	25	As above, with the exception that bursts of 5 rounds will be fired, the supervising NCO will tap the firer after each burst of 5	Scoring For each hit on the centre section to to 10 – 1 point. For each hit on the flank section – 1 point. Deductions: 5 points for each section not hit. Standard A – 12 points B – 8 points C – less than 8 points
6	600	4 ft	75	Aim: To test the firer in mounting his gun in the lowest service position and engaging a fleeting target (i) Gun and tripod will be laid on the ground and about three paces in rear of the spot on which the gun it to be mounted. Tripod on the left of the gun, legs to the rear, rear leg set for the sitting position, sights at zero. Ammunition liner and condenser can will be in a convenient position on the firing point. (ii) The position at which the firer’s target will appear will be indicated to him. (iii) On a signal from the firing point the target will be hoisted. (iv) As soon as the target appears the gun will be brought into action in the lowest service position and fire opened on the target without further word of command. (v) The target will be lowered at the end of the time limit. (vi) Time allowed – 110 secs. The exposure will be timed from the butts.	ScoringStandard A – 20 or more hits B – 1 to 19 hits C – No hits
6	OR 25, if 600 yards range not available	Representative target 2-in but 2-in	15	As above, except that the timing will be done from the firing point	ScoringStandard A – 4 or more hits B – 1 to 3 hits C – No hits

17. Classification

Classification will be as follows:- For each test a standard A, B or C will be alloted according to the number of points obtained. Towards classification an award of:-

A counts 10 points
B counts 5 points
C counts No points

There are seven tests: H.P.S. – 70 points

Qualifying standard: 55 points

18. Scoring Template – 25 yards range

(a) The template is designed to allow for:-

(i) The displacement of the sight in relation to the barrel.
(ii) The aim being laid at the lowest central portion of the aiming mark.

(b) To use the template:-

(i) Tests 1 and 2 – Calculate the distance the correction given will alter the line of sight from the original point of aim.
- (a) Elevation – By comparing the T.A. and converting to inches (see (b) below).
- (b) Line. – 15 minutes = 4 inches at 25 yards. Mark this point and then place the templates arrow on it.
(ii) Test 3 – Place the arrow of the template on the point of aim.

Manual Index