How Canadian Engineers Made Vickers Machine Gun Fire 100,000 Rounds Without Jamming in Desert Heat

Video Description

Discover the untold story of how Canadian engineers transformed the Vickers machine gun from a failing weapon into the most reliable sustained-fire platform of World War Two. In 1942, British forces in North Africa faced a critical problem—their Vickers machine guns were jamming after just 10,000 rounds in desert heat, making sustained suppressive fire impossible. Captain Thomas Henderson of the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) identified the problem: thermal expansion causing timing issues of just 0.008 inches—the width of two human hairs. Working from a workshop in Cairo, Henderson and his team of Canadian machinists, including personnel from Hamilton's Steel Company of Canada and Montreal's Canadian Vickers, developed precise modifications that allowed the weapon to fire over 100,000 rounds without jamming. This video explores the engineering principles behind Henderson's thermal compensation modifications, the chrome-plating innovation by Captain Robert Shaw that extended barrel life, and the combat performance at the Second Battle of El Alamein where modified Vickers guns fired continuously for up to 14 hours. Learn how Canadian precision manufacturing expertise—transferred from peacetime industries to military applications—solved a problem British ordnance establishments couldn't fix. Featuring detailed technical analysis, combat accounts from Canadian machine gun crews, and the lasting legacy of RCEME engineering excellence that continues in modern Canadian Forces doctrine. 🇨🇦 Canadian Military History | World War Two Engineering | Desert Warfare Innovation 📚 Sources: War Office Technical Manuals, RCEME Historical Records, Eighth Army After-Action Reports, El Alamein Battle Documentation ⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 - El Alamein: The Problem Revealed [Continue with actual chapter timestamps] 🔔 Subscribe for more Canadian WW2 history and military engineering stories! 💬 Where are you watching from? Drop your city and country in the comments! #WW2 #CanadianHistory #MilitaryEngineering #ElAlamein #VickersGun #DesertWarfare #RCEME #CanadianForces #WW2History #MilitaryHistory #Engineering #WorldWarTwo #CanadianMilitary #NorthAfrica #MachineGun