Machine gun. Wood pistol grip, steel barrel and fitted with blade foresight and aperture rearsight to 2,000 yards. A gas operated, automatic action. The calibre is 0.303in. Inscribed :'LEWIS GUN OF HMS VINDICTIVE...1918.' This machine gun was presented to the First Lord Kennet (1879-1960) then Lt Cdr Hilton-Young RNVR by the ship's company of HMS 'Vindictive' after the Zeebrugge Raid April 1918. HMS 'Vindictive' was a cruiser launched in 1896 that was fitted out as an assault ship for the Zeebrugge Raid - the blockade by the Royal Navy to stop German ships based at Bruges reaching the open sea. In May 1918, HMS 'VINDICTIVE' was expended as a blockship at Ostend. She was raised in 1920 and broken up.