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Toronto Archives photo search on John Inglis Plant/bren guns
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Did you see that special tripod? How long are those legs!
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I need that 5 millionth Bren magazine in the presentation box !
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...10/12/5m-1.jpg
Thanks for the pics and link (now saved) Clark
ATB Kevin
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That tall tripod would be neat, on the range you wouldn't have to get your knees dirty while unloading all those mags they showed.
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I would imagine from my Own Expierence in Defence Manufacturing. That the Tripod in question would have been almost certainly modified in the factory itself for the purpose of test firing of Brens from a purely conviniece point. And also, that the firing port on the indoor range was so high, it nessesitated the extention the the mount legs to enable the weapons to fire through it.
This would have been a simple mod to execute, by simply cutting the feet & the 'Clutch Heads' on the legs off. And rewelding onto tubes of suitable diameter & length desired, the feet & 'Clutch Heads' as required.
A LOT of one off's were done like this is various manufacturing plants to enable certain repetitive tasks to be done & expidite them as quickly as possible. Wartime manufacturing, as you can imagine was not about total
quality, but Quantitiy!
NOTE the Rifle slings attached to the Bren tripod, which was the CORRECT carrying method when being 'Manpacked' by manpower alone. I have in my own collection & im absolutey CERTAIN a lot of Fellow forum Member have also. A 'Purpose made' tan canvas tripod carrying harness for these tripods. They are very common here in the UK. This is to my mind, a strange affair, as In mY opinion. The web material is a tad on the Thin side for such a heavy mount. In service my view is that they would not survive for very long through wear & tear, & would quickly cut through the material after a short time in usage. I wonder if this was for Foriegn contract? Perhaps NZ or India? I dont know for sure, but all seem to originate from a factory in Stockport 'Up North'. Also, all seem to be in unissued condition, indicating that they were never used! The rifle sling method was fine, thick durable items that would easily survive in usage. So to that end, WHY were these thin harnesses ever made? And that they were, why was the material so flimsy to self evidently not be able to get through the Ravages od Military Service!............Anybody got any definitive Info? I would be very interested to know the Answer! Mike.
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I'm pretty sure these x straps arn't for the Bren tripod, but for carrying ammunition boxs. I don't think anyone has ever found evidence of one fitted to a Tripod, I certianly havn't.
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Blimey you would have to be a contortionist to even contemplate fitting a GP carry harness to a Bren tripod :D (though some Ebay sellers try to pass them off as such)...... only rifle slings.
Ilustrated on the excellent karkeeweb site - Bulk Load Carriage: Harness
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Information on the 'Harness, carrying, infantry, G.S.'
Bulk Load Carriage: Harness
They frequently get mis-sold / misidentified as a 'Bren tripod carrying harness'.
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Tankie is right again about the old No4 rifle slings. They were truly versatile bit of kit. They would support tremendous loads and most people, including me kept one in their kit, usually rolled up in the poncho roll or tucked out of the way. The later nylon ones were strong enough but would slip through the buckles when they got wet. The training wing here have a big bucket of them for use in the FIBUA village where they're used during the street fighting and house clearing as generally useful bits of kit. The little Sterling sling was useful too and for many years I used to use one on an SA80 until 'advised' by those that matter that it set the wrong tone.
I don't know what this has got to do with Brens but there you go............
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Peter Laidler
'advised' by those that matter
:lol::D
bwaa haha!!!
permission to use that in the work place here sir?
I know quite a few of them in this part of the world. We call them waterwalkers.
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Hi BP. So I was correct then, in my assumption that they were too flimsy for tripod use. I simply used logic (& Expierience) that with the weight if a tripod, & the load of it bearing upon the sharp corners of the holes for the carrying straps. This would appear to wear through the straps at this point VERY quickly! So to my mind, if Rifle slings were the Norm, WHY on earth would they go on to develop a 'Purpose made' carrying harness?
IE: With the Rifle slings doing an admirable job for which they were issued. 'If it Aint' broke, dont fix it' attitude!
I also have never seen evidence of the 'Harness' being used to carry a Tripod either. So it is nice to know that those more versed in 'Bren Research' are aware of this Ficticious use of this harness!
Thank you, Cheers, Mike
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As far as I'm aware, the Lee Enfield Slings were the only carrying device, the tripod was made with attachments for these from the start and there was no other purpose made carrying device made. I suspect that the GP yoke is far to small to be used on the tripod, have you got one on a tripod? If you have, try putting the tripod on your back and see how comfortable it is.
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A few months back I saw a Bren displayed on a tripod in AA mode at the Chelmsford militaria fair. The tripod had - you guessed it - a GS harness attached.
But I resisted the temptation to be a know-it-all. :lol:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
peregrinvs
A few months back I saw a Bren displayed on a tripod in AA mode at the Chelmsford militaria fair. The tripod had - you guessed it - a GS harness attached.
But I resisted the temptation to be a know-it-all. :lol:
Yes, I have also seen LOADS of Tripods with the GS harness mounted on them when the mounts have been for sale! It seems to have become 'The Norm' to have one fitted through Ignorance & the now infamous
Chinese wispers. That these harnesses are THE 'Correct' mode of manpacking transportation! I think we know different guys!.........
---------- Post added at 03:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:55 AM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brit plumber
As far as I'm aware, the Lee Enfield Slings were the only carrying device, the tripod was made with attachments for these from the start and there was no other purpose made carrying device made. I suspect that the GP yoke is far to small to be used on the tripod, have you got one on a tripod? If you have, try putting the tripod on your back and see how comfortable it is.
I wouldnt really want to manpack one of these tripods far at all! They are a cumbersome & unweildy load at the best of times! In Service during the latter postwar years, they rarely left the Armoury!
Knowing squaddies as I do, I would imagine in most instances, they remained in the back of trucks when in the field!
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We had a special sling for the Bren tripods. As they were never used, we used to 'sling' them under the firing point of the 25 yard indoor range! I should think that there's hundreds of these monstrocities still stashed in old rooms and cellars in the various old Army camps. As they came under the control of the Technical Quartermaster (the Tech Q in short), and he also had access to the whole camp/barracks, he'd stash this unwanted stuff everywhere. At Watchfield, 30 or so were hung up on hooks on one end of one of the large MT hangars.
Bren tripods, designed to break fingers or rip your hands to shreds on the sharp edges
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Peter Laidler
these monstrocities
Oh I dunno. They're great value if you're a collector - lots of bits to play with. I assume the Czechs shared the German fondness for overdesign.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Peter Laidler
We had a special sling for the Bren tripods. As they were never used, we used to 'sling' them under the firing point of the 25 yard indoor range! I should think that there's hundreds of these monstrocities still stashed in old rooms and cellars in the various old Army camps. As they came under the control of the Technical Quartermaster (the Tech Q in short), and he also had access to the whole camp/barracks, he'd stash this unwanted stuff everywhere. At Watchfield, 30 or so were hung up on hooks on one end of one of the large MT hangars.
Bren tripods, designed to break fingers or rip your hands to shreds on the sharp edges
:rofl: Nice one Pete !
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Peter Laidler
I should think that there's hundreds of these monstrocities still stashed in old rooms and cellars in the various old Army camps.
I know where there is/was one, but the Sgt in charge wouldn't let it go, even when I asked him if he knew what it was for. He told me it was a 'Enfield' tripod, ans I asked which Enfield, he didn't have a clue. I should have had a better look at it but I assume it was a BSA or CCM tripod.
Talking of CCM tripods, they don't appear to be to common in the UK, I only know of a half dozen or so, and those are mostly ex NZA items.
