Deactivated WW2 Vickers-Berthier

This is a matching numbers WW2 Vickers-Berthier machine gun. The original design was conceived by the French before WW1 which eventually became the Modele 1922. In 1925 Vickers purchased the licence rights to produce the Berthier M1922 and started production at their Crayford factory in Kent. It was to be a replacement for the Lewis gun and a possibly an alternative to the Vickers machine gun. In the early 1930's it was trialed against the Czech VB26 which then became the Bren. The British adopted the Bren however the Indian army purchased the Vickers-Berthier and used them throughout WW2. It uses the same 303 ammuntion is to all intents and purposes and similar type of gun to the Bren.