Transit Chest

[nzl1a1collector]

That's a late (60's-80's) Australian Bren chest, they put those new type of fittings on their chests along with the bumper bar on both sides of it.

[tankhunter]

No, BP's chest does NOT have the 'Bumper Bar' or those types of catches. It has the 'Normal' flat hasp types with rotating loops for a padlocks. It is stenciled Bren, Machine Gun, DP. So I am assuming it held one of the DP Brens that came over from Aus in the original HUGE batch a few years ago. Thier brens had Yellow Bipods to denote Drill Purpose. It is a normal issue chest but with the words added later onto a coat of shiney deep bronze geen. Wartime coloured chests would be painted either Brown or green in a Matt colour. Still fitted out inside with ALL the fittings for the C.E.S, IE: Spare barrel, mag, brushes Etc, Etc. & all the felt padding complete.

[peregrinvs]

Where the chest was made should sort that out ......if it's Canadian you will have to flip a coin

An excellent question as I haven't spotted any obvious maker markings. Is there a way of knowing where it was made? It doesn't have the Australian 'bumper bar' and has simpler clasps (swivelling rings) than the one in your picture. The stencilling on the front is 'GUN MACHINE BREN DP'.

Cheers,
Mark

[Kev G]

The pic was in reference to Brit plumbers (BP's) comments regarding the catches -

Forgetting size I think they look similar in construction, I should've checked the pics I have as I thought they used the same fastners but I see they don't. The fastners shown in Kevs pics look identical to those found on some Bren gun boxs I've owned (I think I still have one) but they may be Aussie repaired boxes.

Mark,the maker and year should be stamped somewhere on the chest ,usually on the end.As the are sometimes well lagged in paint they might take some finding.



This one a UK, Beautility Furniture Ltd made example.

ATB Kevin

[Peter Laidler]

The bumper bar was a particular Australian modification, front and rear (?) to protect the hasps and staples. This was part of the Australian EMEI's and was a unit level modification. I never saw hasps and staples like NZL1A1's photos on a Bren chest but these did appear on a similar chest used for the L2A1 auto rifle and our L2 came from Australia in a chest like this, complete with bumper bar

[peregrinvs]

the maker and year should be stamped somewhere on the chest ,usually on the end.As the are sometimes well lagged in paint they might take some finding

Thanks for that. I shall conduct a more careful examination.

Also, can anyone point me at a nice idiot-proof picture or two of what goes where in the chest? I've found a detailed description by Peter Laidler on the 'Weapons Online' forum, but a picture is worth a million words.

Cheers,

Mark

[peregrinvs]

the maker and year should be stamped somewhere on the chest ,usually on the end.As the are sometimes well lagged in paint they might take some finding

I've had a look and I can't make out the maker name. However, I *think* I can see a partially obscured 1940 date. Brilliant if correct, but it seems a little too good to be true and so I shall reserve judgement until I have had a proper look in daylight.

Mark

[Brit plumber]

Like this BP ?

Agh, yes thats the one, the fastners are similar to the Spares box, but not the same. I thought I may have had a few left but I must have sold them all, I've just got 2 of the normal fastner types left now. I seem to remember thinking it was a Aussie mod as 2 of them had the Liverpool NSW address on the side.

[peregrinvs]

Where the chest was made should sort that out ......if it's Canadian you will have to flip a coin

Lo and behold, it is Canadian - I've found a broadarrow in a C marking on it. I think it's the same as the one you posted a picture of:

transit box makers' names

Does anyone have any information on Canadian makers of Bren transit chests?

Cheers,
Mark