Any working machine-gun, along with ammo and spares, is not to be sneezed at.

The Germans certainly recycled a LOT of allied MGs, being quite keen on the Vickers as an “Ersatz” Mg-08 and the Lewis, for its lighter weight than the Mg-08-15.

They didn’t just use them as training weapons, but deployed them in actual combat.

I have a couple of books on the Battle of Fromelles, (1916 rematch). Peter Barton's book, "The Lost Legions of Fromelles" makes mention of this "recycling" and has good notes and some photos of assorted weapons on the front line.

It also contains colour copies of the Germanicon battle maps from the Bavarian unit that held the position.

These, and aerial photos, helped find the German-dug, mass graves of many of the "missing" Australians who were killed in that battle.