Dave Voisey

Hadn't thought of the ACW angle. We discussed this on our discord and my mind went to the Boer War for very similar reasons. Russo-Japanese War also isn't a bad shout as MG use was so primitive, it'd why most nations dropped wheeled carriages as they were such obvious targets

YouTube video by Vickers MG Collection & Research Association Maxim - Vickers - Trenches | Dispatches from the Dugout

A project long in the making. It you want to know the concepts and practicalities of early Machineguns, then this episode of Dispactes from the Dugout by us @vickersmg.bsky.social will be essential viewing for you. Lots of discussion on what the impact of the MG was in 1914
youtu.be/jAFZm_yKB64?...

Audible Try Audible free for 30 days! Start listening to best-selling audiobooks, exclusive Originals, and free podcasts with the Audible app.

#7 Not an Arhem specialist but know the general gist. Interesting way of looking at the Battle from a single day, and Murray is really good at contextualising the events, at least with someone with more than passing knowledge. Solid storytelling
www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0D5J8Q3L...

Audible Try Audible free for 30 days! Start listening to best-selling audiobooks, exclusive Originals, and free podcasts with the Audible app.

#6 - on the audio book catchup. I loved Fry's earlier Greek books, but this one just didn't do it for me. I studied the Odessy years ago and am very familiar with the story, so this might be due to my own preconceptions, but it just didn't flow very well.
3/5
www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0CZPB3TR...

Audible Try Audible free for 30 days! Start listening to best-selling audiobooks, exclusive Originals, and free podcasts with the Audible app.

Book #5 - much belated, McEwan's Attonement. Loved the themes and really liked the style it was written in. Compelling story and though it had a number of SWW tropes they weren't so burdensome to make it a hard read.
4/5
www.audible.co.uk/pd/B00P9R9QD...

They're also the paper complaining on how roughly private schools have been treated by the Gov, ignoring that they have even longer holidays

We found 4pm midweek was the best time - we got a ferry 2 hours early and we're brushed through passport control. Our EU passport holders weren't even checked

Recently I've been experimenting with a new type of booklet for students in KS3. Unlike my GCSE booklets, students don't write in these and instead use an exercise book for their class work. These booklets are also less task-based, consisting mainly of a story to be read and discussed in class.

When we did our range day for Y13, that was a genuine moment. 😅

Caught up with 2 of our Y12s who had done work experience @vickersmg.bsky.social. It was great seeing their joy at accessing the archive and being involved in the process of catalouging primary material. That was their focus, learning how to strip a MG was just a side feature for them.

Couldn't agree more. I've taught in both and absolutely despise the setting of humanities subjects

We're having a department rerooming for various reasons and managed to keep my room.
Made it clear they would have to prise my room from my cold, dead hands - so I totally feel the sentiment!

And as always, I shall spend a huge amount of my timing dispelling g Wehraboo myths regarding the Second World War.

This scene from Andor is meme gold for misconceptions.

YouTube video by Vickers MG Collection & Research Association Do you want to watch machine guns firing in the UK?

The time between these firearms is less than 30 years - and look at the changes and some continuities!
If you want to see more of this, come and see what we can do, we're evening running a demo on the 12th July.
youtu.be/Z1Ln4L0GS-8?...

Now look at this in comparison. This is an EM2, a trials rifle from the early 1950s in Britain. Learning the lessons of how weapons could be used from the SWW whilst making use of machining and nice wood as that's what the British Arms industry did best, the cheek rest is a wood venier! /8

So called 'wonder' Weapons. This leads us to the Gustloff. Just look at that piece of shit. Innovative? Yes. Terrible to handle and use? Absolutely. This is a disposable gun made for a dictatorship in its final days with few resources, and it shows. /7

Yes the design is innovative, but the execution is poor, quality control was shocking, it's all stamped steel and cheap, roughly cut wood. This ladies and gents is a product of an arms industry that had become reliant on slave labour to make parts. Something to remember when folks see /6

As the war went on, Germany became more desperate, fighting in Russia was not what was expected. The MP44 (later renamed STG - Assualt rifle) was the Nazi state's answer. This is truly innovative in design, a rifle that is select fire and designed to be used at the normal combat distance of <300m /5

I wasn't working on a Sten yesterday, but the Soviet equivalent, the PPS43, look how its different to the MP28, same job, but look at all that stamping, not surprising for a gun designed during the Siege of Leningrad, complete simplicity and incredibly cheap, this wasn't possible in 1928 /4

This has a connection to the British army in the Second World War as this gun would inspire the Lanchester and its magazines are compatible with it, that magazine design would dictate the production of the Sten. /3

They were made. For example this is a MP28/II. A German SMG that is an improved MP18, look at all that wood and fantastic machining, this would have been a small fortune to make, but it reflects the production capabilities of Germany at the time. Being post-Versailles it's aimed for the police /2

When we teach the FWW we often pose it as the conflict where technology changed warfare. This is something that's often missed about the SWW. I spent yesterday doing some maintenance @vickersmg.bsky.social Firearms are pieces of material culture and they reflect the society and timeframe in which /1

Honestly, taking apart and reassembling a BAR was incredibly stressful. This is controversial, yes its a 1917/18 design, but it requires tools, and nothing is easy to take apart.

YouTube video by Vickers MG Collection & Research Association Historic Firearms Demonstration Days #VickersMG

Some awesome footage from our recent schools demo shoot. If this is something you're interested in, please do get in touch. If you want to see one in a non-school setting we're holding a demo for Patreons on the 12th July
youtu.be/Z1Ln4L0GS-8?...

Good luck, this is a genuine nightmare scenario for me. I have done exactly the same in my room and if someone took me away I wouldn't know what to do.

This is an amazing chance to see a variety of MGs being fired in person with a chance to discuss with experts that nature of Warfare - come check it out.

Interested in a direct approach to history teaching? 'Lean lessons' with booklets, whole-class reading, explanation, and lots of questions?

@jacobolivey.bsky.social and I are leading a webinar series for @histassoc.bsky.social in June – and it's cheap! Just £50 for all six webinars.

Link below! 👇

The prevalence of the most extreme, headline grabbing is up for debate. But the vast majority of teachers I've spoken to have noted a shift in behaviour, the fact the unions and gov are recognising this shows a change too.

Barking at female staff and blocking doorways: Teachers warn of rise in misogyny and racism in UK schools Survey finds social media main cause of poor behaviour, with pupils mimicking Donald Trump and Andrew Tate

I'm glad that this finally has had a proper national outing. Discussions with female staff and trainees has shown how they are treated differently. It goes beyond social media figures, that's reductionist, but there is a culture problem inc. Parents
www.theguardian.com/education/20...