South African bren

[blitzkrieg]

Hi Guys,
I am the owner of a 38 dated Enfield double dovetail, serial number A3868 which has the South African U stamp on the upper receiver. What I'd like to know is if anyone knows when we supplied Brens to South Africa, are they quite rare or fairly common, could it of been a dunkirk bren or would it of been used in the desert war?
Sorry for all the questions but trying to work out its history!
Many thanks!

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[Brit plumber]

Is it definitely a South African U? Like this



I ask as there was a Enfield mark in that area that could be confused with the SA U, and your gun I believe is one of the last of the Greek imports.

[blitzkrieg]

Hi Brit plumber, many thanks for your reply!
Hmm not sure now, it looks similar and contains the crowsfoot, however the upper part of the U has a short horizontal line on the two vertical stems, hope this makes sense as I can't upload photos.
What could this denote if not a South African U?
Many thanks!

[Peter Laidler]

The UK Govt were keen for SA to start manufacture of the Bren at the same time at Enfield but Brunn weren't having any of it. It was the Government Arms factory or nothing! Things changed when the war came but even then, we still continued to pay royalties on Canadian and Aust production as they were acting as sub contractors for the UK Govt.

Don't ask me how Canada/Inglis managed to get around this, but war has a way of moving things slightly faster than usual

[MGMike]

...

Don't ask me how Canada/Inglis managed to get around this...l

Very likely because Czechoslovakia ceased to exist, and nobody had any interest in paying royalties to Hitler.

M

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, it might have ceased to exist but we simply banked the royalties and paid them afterwards to the 'new post war pre Communist era factory. Stupid or what!

We were not permitted to deviate from the agreed drawings either! We did and that's how we got the Mk2 and 3 guns with their odd BA thread system (where there was a new thread requirement/variation)

[Kev G]

Royalties to Germany by way of the uccupation of Czecho Slovakia were still being paid for a time and questions in the House of Commons were made regarding this - ".......increasing German military strength by our export of raw materials, we are increasing their financial strength by continuing these payments? "

War Minister Hore-Belisha responded to questions with - "All I can say is that any payment which the British Government has contracted to pay must be honoured. "

I would imagine shortly after this payments were stopped !

ATB Kevin

[blitzkrieg]

Thanks for the pic Kevin, that's the marking on my bren. Interesting stuff chaps,many thanks!