BACKGROUND: Among other restrictions, the Treaty of Versailles banned Germany from developing any type of general purpose machine gun. To circumvent this, German development of an all purpose machine gun was secretly being done in Switzerland in the early 1930's. By 1934 designer Louis Stange of the Rheinmetall armaments factory had made improvements to the secret machine gun developed in Switzerland and the MG34 was introduced as an all purpose selective fire weapon. In spite of the relatively high production cost, the MG34 was accepted by the HwaA, Heereswaffenamt, (Army Ordnance Office), a subsection of the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), that was responsible for testing, evaluation and eventual issue of all ordnance, and deliveries of the MG34 began in 1936. In 1937 due to the high cost and manufacturing time of the MG34 development began on another general purpose machine gun which utilized stamped and pressed components making it cheaper and quicker to produce. Further developments resulted in the introduction of the MG42 general purpose machine gun in late 1941. Of Note: With a rate of fire of roughly nine hundred rounds per minute, the MG34 was a formidable weapon with automatic and semi-automatic firing capabilities and production continued even after the cheaper and higher rate of fire, (1,500 rpm), MG42 was introduced. Both the MG34 and the MG42 came equipped with a wide variety of accessories including assorted optical enhancement devices of which the most common were the Zielfernrohr 34, (Telescopic Target Sight {Model} 34), and the improved Zielfernrohr 40 optical sights. Both the four power magnification ZF34 and ZF40 sights were mounted on the appropriate MG’s tripod when used as a heavy machine gun and could be utilized for both direct and indirect fire. Both of these sights came with assorted accessories including a separate, detachable, light for use at night. The detachable light came with a specific battery case and cable. The box would contain three small batteries which would attach to the sight by a cable, allowing for enhanced night vision. Generally both the MG34 and the MG42 were manned by a three person crew with one individual being designated the "#1 gunner", or section leader, who was responsible for the optical sights and accessories. Of Note: Although designed for the MG ZF34 and ZF40 optical sights, these battery boxes and cables could also used in conjunction with other optical devices.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 3 1/4" tall, 3" square, ordnance blue/grey painted, sheet metal construction MG light battery case with brass, bakelite and "horsehair" fittings for use with the Zielfernrohr 34 and Zielfernrohr 40 optical sights. The case features a fold back top lid with a brazed on, staggered, bar, hinge to the reverse and a brazed on, vertical, spring loaded, closure clip with a rivetted on, canvas web pull tab, to the obverse. The front closure clip attaches to an extended, steel stud positioned on the lower obverse of the case. The front closure clip is well marked with the impressed manufacturer’s logo consisting of an equilateral triangle with three, evenly dispersed, internal dividing lines within a circular border indicating an unknown manufacturer. One side of the case has a brazed on, extended, slotted, sheet metal panel designed to secure the case to the MG’s tripod. The lower reverse of the box has dual plug outlets for the electrical cable to attach it to the MG. The black rubberized electrical cable and light are included. The roughly 48" long, black rubberized electrical cable features a dual prong plug in a black painted alloy housing to one end and a black painted tooled alloy light bulb housing with an internal light bulb. The forward light bulb housing screws off to replace the bulb as required and has a small, sliding, alloy button that adjusts an internal "V" cut panel regulating the amount of light released to the required level. The bottom edge of the light bulb housing has a dovetailed, cut out with a small, movable, alloy locking clip designed to attach it to the optical sight. The interior body of the case has an inserted, molded black bakelite frame with small, rivetted on, brass panels. The bakelite frame is well marked with the embossed, stylized, DIN, Deutsche Industrie Norm, (German Industry Standard), logo, and the manufacturer’s three letter code, "jmh", indicating the bakelite insert was manufactured by Heinrich Kopp Elektrotechn. Bedarfsartikelfabrik of Sonneberg. The interior top lid has a glued on, protective horsehair panel and is well marked with a white inkstamped waffen-amt and the impressed manufacturer’s three letter code, "etl", indicating manufacture by Hugo Krieger & Faudt Elektr. Apparate of Berlin. The case retains over 95% of it’s original ordnance blue/grey paint with a couple of small scrapes and scuffs. Nice MG accessory with all the components in overall very good condition.