This original copy of Lewis Gun Mechanism Made Easy, published by Gale & Polden Ltd., is a well-regarded interwar–early WW2 instructional booklet intended to explain the internal workings of the Lewis Gun in a clear and accessible way. Issued in multiple editions, this Sixth Edition reflects the continued use of the Lewis Gun during the late interwar period and into the early years of the Second World War, including by the Home Guard and auxiliary units.

Rather than focusing on drill or firing practice, this booklet concentrates on the mechanical principles of the weapon, guiding the reader through the function of its major components, gas system, feed mechanism, and operating cycle. It is fully illustrated throughout and includes notes on the .300 (American) Lewis Gun, making it relevant to units equipped with both British and U.S. pattern weapons.

This example retains its original soft cover and remains complete, including the desirable fold-out coloured plate illustrating the Lewis Gun mechanism—an element frequently missing from surviving copies. Showing only light age-related wear, the booklet is structurally sound and presents very well overall. The cover is intact, showing no signs of coming off any time soon. There are also a list of dates (see photos) on the inside too, citing when this book was first published (January 1919) but more importantly, when this edition was published; November 1940. Below this, s another date of 1941 for this specific volume.

An excellent companion piece to The Complete Lewis Gunner, this booklet is ideal for collectors of early WW2 small-arms manuals, Home Front training material, and Gale & Polden publications, and represents a particularly clear and informative period guide to one of Britain’s most recognisable machine guns.