Dr. Pierre Lerneux: The Belgian Army in WW I Volume 2 - Portable Service Weapons
Publisher Militaria. Illustrated in color, 512 pages, over 1,500 color photographs, contemporary B&W photographs, tables and illustrations, linen bound with dust jacket, large format: 29.5 x 26 cm.
To write about the history of firearms without mentioning the reputation of the Belgian firearms industry would be ignoring the important place this country held in the field. The quantity and variety of weapons produced in Belgium and exported during the 19th century was exceptional.
The production capability, as well as the know-how and ingenuity of the gunsmiths, were naturally placed at the service of the Belgian Army. Modest in numbers, the army had at its disposal in 1914 decent individual armament, even if its design was twenty years old. Well trained, the soldier could exploit to the maximum the long-range precision of his weapon. However, the small number of automatic weapons, recently purchased, would prove a serious handicap when vastly outnumbered by the enemy.
The Battle of the Yser, saving a small portion of the national territory, saw the end of the war of maneuver. The war years saw the government and rear echelons multiply their efforts and ingenuity to ensure the soldier on the front line was properly armed. In addition to numerous adaptations to existing materiel, there was a large diversification in the origins of the equipment fielded. Photographs of the Belgian front allow the identification of weapons from France, the United Kingdom, United States as well as Germany and Turkey among others, weapons used as built or modified to suit the needs of the army.
Given the complexity of the subject, the masses of fresh information and photographs available, a second volume dedicated to small arms was deemed necessary to complete the overview of the Belgian Army during the Great War. Once again the collections of the Royal Military Museum of Brussels reveal their wealth and diversity. Much more than a simple catalog of weapons used by the Belgian Army, it is the story of the transformation of a small army caught in the struggles of the Great War, its adaptation to technological and tactical progress.
For deliveries to non-European countries, increased shipping costs may apply. We ask for consultation.
Pour les livraisons dans des pays non européens, des frais d'expédition plus élevés peuvent s'appliquer. Nous demandons une consultation.
To write about the history of firearms without mentioning the reputation of the Belgian firearms industry would be ignoring the important place this country held in the field. The quantity and variety of weapons produced in Belgium and exported during the 19th century was exceptional.
The production capability, as well as the know-how and ingenuity of the gunsmiths, were naturally placed at the service of the Belgian Army. Modest in numbers, the army had at its disposal in 1914 decent individual armament, even if its design was twenty years old. Well trained, the soldier could exploit to the maximum the long-range precision of his weapon. However, the small number of automatic weapons, recently purchased, would prove a serious handicap when vastly outnumbered by the enemy.
The Battle of the Yser, saving a small portion of the national territory, saw the end of the war of maneuver. The war years saw the government and rear echelons multiply their efforts and ingenuity to ensure the soldier on the front line was properly armed. In addition to numerous adaptations to existing materiel, there was a large diversification in the origins of the equipment fielded. Photographs of the Belgian front allow the identification of weapons from France, the United Kingdom, United States as well as Germany and Turkey among others, weapons used as built or modified to suit the needs of the army.
Given the complexity of the subject, the masses of fresh information and photographs available, a second volume dedicated to small arms was deemed necessary to complete the overview of the Belgian Army during the Great War. Once again the collections of the Royal Military Museum of Brussels reveal their wealth and diversity. Much more than a simple catalog of weapons used by the Belgian Army, it is the story of the transformation of a small army caught in the struggles of the Great War, its adaptation to technological and tactical progress.
For deliveries to non-European countries, increased shipping costs may apply. We ask for consultation.
Pour les livraisons dans des pays non européens, des frais d'expédition plus élevés peuvent s'appliquer. Nous demandons une consultation.
