Transit Chest

[peregrinvs]

Hi,

I have a chance to buy a Bren transit chest for a fairly reasonable price. I haven't seen any pictures - the buyer has given me the following description:

"it's painted different shades of matt brown where it has been patch painted over the years.

on the hinge side stencilled in black it says:-

SPARES C1 - BE

512769 | 28 OF 32

QTY 2

on on end stencilled in white:-

WT 75 ??

on front stencilled in black:-

59 BN GARDE
CAS RUC QUOI.M.159
TOURNAI 30K

A500.00.86231
CHEST BREN"

Postwar French use? Is the brown paint likely to be British? All advice on what to look out for when buying a transit chest gratefully accepted.

Cheers,

Mark

Information

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[Brit plumber]

More likely Belgian, and with 'Qnty 2' and 'Spares', it dosnt sound like a transit chest, could be a armourers spares chest.

[Peter Laidler]

All the chests we had were deep bronze green and all languished under the firing point of the 25 yard indoor range. together with the useless tripods. Maybe someone could put a photo up of a chest next to a tape measure. Mind you, I wish I'd written off a few dozen of the 'useless' but subsequently valuable fold-up lightweight tripods when they were still doing the rounds

It sound to me like a Chest, spare parts, Bren. Ask him if it's still full!

[peregrinvs]

it dosnt sound like a transit chest, could be a armourers spares chest.

Ah, I hadn't thought of that. Do they look like the transit chest? It was advertised as one.

Mark

[peregrinvs]

together with the useless tripods!

Off the top of my head I can only think of 1 or 2 WWII photos I've seen of them in use and perhaps that's why?

Having said that, you get a lot of bang for your buck if you're a collector - they're an item so overdesigned they could be German*. Many years ago I acquired a 1939 BSA MkI tripod and it's a great 'toy' to play with. Not that long ago I retrofitted it with some spring clips to store the MkI butt handle

Mark

* Actually Czech I believe.

[Brit plumber]

I think they look identical apart from size, the metal hinges and hasps are the same. I think there is a drawing in Skenertons Bren SAIS.

[peregrinvs]

I've just had a look. It states; "...wooden battalion spares boxes "A" and "B" contained tools and service spare parts. The "B" box is twice as high as the "A" box and the designations are usually stencilled on the green boxes in white paint".

There's a line drawing, but it doesn't look like the transit chest - more like a conventional tool box.

Mark

[Peter Laidler]

The original Czech Bren tripod was nicknamed 'the grasshopper' The current one was a UK design but in all probability, based on another type. Why o' why couldn't it have been based on the old US M1919 Browning tripod?

[tankhunter]

Mark,
The spares Batt box is NOTHING like the Bren transit chest. Either size wise, or internals. I have an example of the Batt spares box in my collection. But believe it or not, it is for the 7.62mm LMG series!
Two lift out trays inside.
It is identical to the wartime variant, but is semi gloss green with black stenciled writing. obviously new manufacture & dated with late postwar date. as almost 85 percent of LMG & Bren componants are similar. (After all, they ARE converted Brens!) I suppose it is logical that the Batt Armrs spares box design was copied!
The Bren chest is MUCH longer & heavier, & TOTALY different in internal fittings. IF you do come down this weekend, I can show you the two boxes in the flesh, so to speak!
Mike.

[Kev G]

Just to illustrate the 'B' sized Battalion spares boxes C1/BE 6053 -



Top -Australian 1943 dated Slazenger made.As illustrated in SAIS 5 and has 3 trays.

Middle - UK 7.62 L4A4 1990 dated made by REMPLOY -2 tray

Bottom - UK .303 2 tray

There are also 'commercial' boxes made from plywood by either Dince Hill or Manroy (can't remember off hand) and they are made to a trade pattern rather than DDE spec.
Pic below -



ATB Kevin