Question for the gun experts.
Took this screenie:



and began to wonder. These shells look nice flying every which way when fired, but would they actually be ejected if they were fired from a Vickers? They are belt fed and I know nothing about how it works but wouldn't the shells remain in the belt? I don't believe the belt disintegrated when fired. Did it?

As I recall it, in the Vickers the recoiling bolt extracted the entire round from the cloth belt and its spring-driven forward action drove the round forward and below the belt into the chamber. The spent casing was ejected downwards clear of the gun. Because the entire round left the belt before it was fired, nothing stayed in the belt.

Disintegrating links began to be used later in the war. The Germans persisted with cloth belts, I believe.

That would explain it. Thanks Raine!

Good init