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| Country |
Denmark |
| Type |
Light machine gun |
| Introduction |
1896 |
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The Madsen machine gun was a light machine gun developed by a Captain Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen of the Danish artillery in 1896. One of the first light machine guns produced in quantity, the action was unique and required careful machining during the construction. Based on a long barrel recoil, it basically had an automated version of the Martini breechblock.
It was used extensively by the Imperial Russian Army, which bought 1,250 examples and deployed them during the Russo-Japanese war, and was deployed (arming infantry companies, mountain troops and later storm troopers) in 1914 by the German Army in 7.92 mm calibre. It saw service during World War I. It was considered expensive to produce, but was known for its reliability. It was sold to 34 nations in a dozen different calibers before and after World War I, seeing service in China during the Warlord era.
The gun was bought by the Paraguayans in the 1920s and early 1930s as that country quietly girded for war with Bolivia over mutual claims to the Gran Chaco region, and it served in the Paraguayan army in the Chaco War (1932-1935). Almost 400 were on hand when the war began, and more were bought as the war progressed.
It was still in use as late as April-June 1940 as the Royal Norwegian Army\'s standard light machine gun in the Norwegian Campaign, 3,500 M/22s in 6.5x55 Krag being available for the defence of Norway. Captured Madsens were used by the Germans for second line units throughout the war, and the Danish Army did not retire the last Madsens until 1955. It was standard equipment (in 6.5 mm) with the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) during the interwar period, some being captured and used by the Imperial Japanese Army after the fall of the East Indies.
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