Description

      The Vickers K, often referred to as the Vickers GO (Gas Operated), was a British light machine gun developed in the 1930s. It was known for its high rate of fire and was widely used by the British armed forces during World War II, particularly by the Air Force.

      The Vickers K, sometimes also known as the Vickers G.O. (Gas Operated) or VGO, was a British 7.7 mm calibre air-cooled air machine gun operating on the principle of gunpowder gas extraction. It was developed by Vickers in the 1930s as a defensive weapon for aircraft with the high rate of fire needed for the brief moments when the gunner could aim at the attacking aircraft.

      During World War II, its high rate of fire and relative lightness gained the attention of special forces, particularly the Special Air Service (SAS). The SAS, often operating deep behind enemy lines and requiring high firepower in a mobile design, began using the Vickers K on their modified jeeps.

Use of Vickers K by the SAS:

• Mounting on jeeps: the SAS mounted one or more Vickers K machine guns on its jeeps. They were often mounted at the front and rear of the vehicle, providing considerable firepower for both attack and defence.
• High rate of fire: The high rate of fire of the Vickers K (around 950 rounds per minute) was advantageous to the SAS in rapid ambushes and to suppress enemy fire.
• Relative lightness: unlike the heavier Vickers machine guns, the "K" was relatively light and easy to handle on mobile platforms such as jeeps.
• Acquisition from decommissioned aircraft: the SAS often acquired these machine guns from decommissioned or damaged RAF aircraft, providing a handy source of weapons for their unconventional operations.
• Ground version: Later, a special "ground" version of the Vickers G.O. No. 2 Mk. 1 with stock, pistol grip and bipod, originally intended for RAF airfield defence, but these weapons also found their way to special forces.

      The Vickers K thus became the signature weapon of the SAS's early operations during the Second World War, providing them with the necessary firepower superiority in their daring and often lonely missions behind enemy lines. Its era with the SAS ended with the advent of more modern weapons after the war.