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First Name: | Wilfrid Maurice | Last Name: | HASTWELL |
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Date of Death: | 07/04/1917 | Lived/Born In: | Streatham | |
Rank: | Second Lieutenant | Unit: | Machine Gun Corps 153rd Company | |
Memorial Site: | ||||
Current Information:Age-21 35, Drewstead Road, Streatham Anzin-St Aubin British Cemetery, France
At the outbreak of war in 1914 there were two machine guns to each battalion which was far from adequate and substantially fewer than the German Army. The need for more of these weapons and the specialised training they required led to the establishment of Machine Gun Corps in the autumn of 1915 with each infantry brigade being furnished with their own machine gun company, usually taking the same number as the brigade. These companies were equipped with the new Vickers machine gun whilst the individual infantry battalions were supplied with the lighter, hand-held Lewis guns. Machine Gun Battalions were formed in the Divisions in the early months of 1918, by bringing together the four MGC Companies into a single command structure. The Battalions took the number of their Division. Wilfrid Hastwell was killed on 7th April, 1917 while serving with the 153rd Company of the Machine-Gun Corps of 153 Brigade, 51st (Scottish) Division, as they prepared for their participation in the Battle of Arras. |
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