Deactivated WW2 Vickers MK1 - One of the very last ones ever made converted from a Tank Gun

This is one of very last WW2 Vickers machines gun made by Lithgow that dates to June 1945. The highest known MK1 serial number is B2299, and this gun is number B2286 just 13 before production ended. Lithgow's Vickers production (of all variants) was very low with just 12,344 estimated to have been made from 1929 to 1945. We have been reliably informed by the Vickers Association that this actual gun is a converted MKXXI tank gun. The very last batch of Vickers guns were all converted to MkI from the very few MKXXI's that were made.

The tripod is also Aussie made and dates to 1934 with matching numbers of 411 to body and cradle.

Although war had ended in Europe in May 1945 it continued in the Pacific / Asia until September 1945. Australian forces fighting the Japanese in Burma, Malaya and Singapore to name but a few. Some of the most fierce fighting involving Aussie forces to place in the jungles of Burma against the Japanese. There are several well documented accounts of Aussies armed with Vickers machine guns firing continuously throughout the night whilst their gun barrels glowed red as Japanese forces attempted to over run their positions.

A great set that would make a centre piece to any WW2 collection. Deactivated with a working action.