It’s the early 1900s, the air above the city is thick with smoke and tension as Europe edges towards war. 

Before Birmingham was known for Black Sabbath and the Balti Triangle, it was a driving force of England’s industrial revolution. During the First World War, that industrial power was redirected to support Britain’s defence, with the city’s factories producing vital equipment - including the Lewis Gun, one of the most widely used weapons of the era.

From Bicycles to the Battlefield

Prior to Britain officially declaring war on Germany in 1914, the nation was already swept into a furious race to prepare for the inevitable fighting that was to come. Birmingham led the way, becoming a powerhouse of war production, with factories producing vast quantities of arms and ammunition. 

One unlikely leader in the industry was The Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) Company. Despite the name, the business had been manufacturing bicycles since the 1880s and motorbikes since 1910 - but when duty called, they adapted quickly and dedicated their factory in Small Heath to the war effort.

However, they faced the daunting task of developing weapons that could compete with Germany’s superior artillery and machine guns. As if to foreshadow the Second World War to come, help arrived from the Americans. Private designs of a gun that could fire 500-600 rounds of ammunition per minute (from the mind of United States Army Officer and inventor, Issac Newton Lewis), found their way into the hands of BSA owners - who finalised and mass produced the plans into the now famous, ‘Lewis Gun’; the first machine gun to ever be fired from a moving plane.

"The country, the empire and the world owe to the skill, the ingenuity, the industry and the resource of Birmingham - a deep debt of gratitude"

- Former Prime Minister David Lloyd George, after WWI

From Factory Floor to Screen

The gun was manufactured for the British military and, after successful results, was officially adopted by the Army early in the war. By 1918, the BSA had produced over 15,000 of The Lewis Machine Gun for the war effort. 

The Birmingham Small Arms Company and Lewis machine guns feature in the hit series Peaky Blinders, set in and around Small Heath and Birmingham.

Peaky Blinders dramatises Birmingham’s gritty post-war years but the show’s references to BSA, Small Heath and the Lewis Gun remind viewers of the city’s heritage and how it shaped real wartime history long before the Shelby family hit the screen.

Community Stories of Courage

Behind every machine stood an ordinary person; and whilst inventions like the Lewis Gun are impressive, they can sometimes overshadow the smaller, quieter stories of resilience from the men and women who gave their lives during the First World War. Two men who encapsulated the brave spirit of the West Midlands were John Pearman and Charles Smith, police officers from the Walsall Borough, who were stationed in France during the war. 

Whilst serving in the 10th Battalion Shropshire and Cheshire Yeomanry, they came under severe enemy fire in the town of Saint-Floris, Northern France. Both men bravely fought and even engaged in hand-to-hand combat against attacking soldiers. Sadly, both men lost their lives at the age of 26 on 22nd August, 1918; just three months before the end of the war. 

Did you know the West Midlands Police Museum has a digital World War One - Roll of Honour where you can learn about the many police officers from the West Midlands who bravely served?

 

 

As we pause on Remembrance Day, stories like these remind us that Birmingham’s legacy was not just forged in steel, but in the courage and sacrifice of those who served.

From the factory floor to the front line - we remember.

 

 

Join Birmingham’s Remembrance Sunday Service 2025

Birmingham will be commemorating Remembrance Day, with the annual Remembrance Sunday Service this Sunday 9 November 2025. The event will take place on Colmore Row, opposite St. Philip's Cathedral, and begin at 10.15am.