Outer card showing Machine Gun Corps cap badge in red, with wording 'No 5 Battalion, Machine Gun Corps'.

Inner paper, attached by red string. Left side: photograph of Vickers machine gun set up with No 1 and No 2 in full battle order and wearing steel helmets. The Vickers MG has a Sangster auxiliary tripod, Mark 1 direction dial and elevating wheel and is being fed from No 3 belt boxes. Also fitted is the steam condenser hose.

Right side: "With all Good Wishes for Christmas and the New Year. From your loving Brother. Xmas, 1917"

No 5 Battalion in the British Expeditionary Force was not formed until 26 April 1918 (https://vickersmg.blog/in-use/british-service/the-british-army/machine-gun-corps/machine-gun-corps-infantry/no-5-battalion-machine-gun-corps/) and there exists three possible solutions to the use of No 5 Battalion for Xmas, 1917:

  1. (possible) The inner has been reused or misprinted as Xmas 1917 and it is actually 1918.

  2. (unlikely) The formation of battalions was preempted and this was used by the forming companies (13th, 15th, 95th and 205th).

  3. (likely) this was sent from No 5 Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps Training Centre at Grantham or Depot at Alnwick, which were not part of the BEF. Needs verifying against the list of those Battalions.

SKR0012.1.8.1

1917-1918