Manufacturers’ Markings

Most Vickers MGs are not clearly marked as to who the manufacturer was as the War Office contract guns did not require anything further than a serial number. The exception to this rule is the Commercial Guns as the manufacturer wished all to know who produced the gun as an additional marketing technique. Component parts often included a manufacturer marking as well, presumably for traceability. In the Second World War, this was reduced to a alpha-numerical code with N for Northern, M for Midlands and then S for Southern, followed by a number. Manufacturers’ markings are often accompanied by a year of production, which could be the full four digits or just the two end digits.

For additional information on the history of UK companies, the links go to Graces Guide.

Marking	Manufacturer details	Examples found on
BA	Bathurst Annex (a feeder factory for the Small Arms Factory, Lithgow, Australia)	Extractor
B.W.Ld. London	Bowden Wire Co., Willesden Junction, London	Muzzle cup
E inside D	Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield	Direction dial pointer
MA	Made in Australia	Feedblock top pawls spring
RCD	Royal Carriage Department	Tripod mounting blocks
S26	Climax Rock Drill Company, Carn Brea, Cornwall	Feedblock casing
S343	Nicholls & Janes, St. Mary’s St., High Wycombe, Bucks	Spare parts box Mark III
VAC	Vickers Armstrongs Crayford	Extractor
VAN	Vickers-Armstrongs (believed to be Newcastle)	Feedblock casing
VSM	Vickers, Sons and Maxim	Trigger bar
W.T.&Co.	Wynn, Timmins & Co Ltd., Birmingham	Belt repairing tool