MK 1 bren tipod

[Peter Laidler]

Lost by an Army Officer during training for D Day in 1944 this Webley Mk4 was dug up from an old covered in slit trench in 2003. It was left in a waste oil tank for a year or so. It seemed to operate, extract and eject so was fired. All 12 bullets hit the fig.11 target at 10 yards. The broken grip shows where the digger of the new trench in 2003 hit it with his shovel

I've just been corrected that it won't have been the Officer that lost the pistol, - but his batman!

[Brit plumber]

Nice one Peter. Do you think my CLLE will ever fire? I doubt it!!!!









Anyone got a spare relic CLLE or SMLE bolt for it?

[weasel_master]

I'm tempted to mill out the tripod head on mine. Gonna sit on it for a bit and think though. If I do, I guess I better pick up an Enfield so I can use it as the third leg.

[Brit plumber]

If you can mill the head, you can defo make up the AA leg.

[Peter Laidler]

Off the bren tripod thread for a bit, but what's the story behind the CLLE BP. Don'tsay an Officers batman lost it - again!

[Brit plumber]

Off the bren tripod thread for a bit, but what's the story behind the CLLE BP. Don'tsay an Officers batman lost it - again!

Not this time Peter, it was the Officers Batmans Batman that lost this one!

It was found at RAF No.2 Depot (Later No.2 Maintenance Unit) near Altincham, it was exposed during demolition of the hangars along with a large number of Webley MkVI service revolvers which had been buried for some reason. I can only assume that they were scrap and buried rather than actually go for scrap.

I intend to rebuild it keeping the rifle as is but fitting replacement parts to it. The barrel is completely rusted and slightly bent so no worries there. I'm hoping that SMLE parts will fit as getting hold of CLLE parts will be pretty difficult.

[weasel_master]

If you can mill the head, you can defo make up the AA leg.

I figure milling the head shouldn't be too bad. Get the dimensions should be fairly easy as I can use a bayonet to pull them from.

[tankhunter]

[QUOTE=Brit plumber;149707]Not this time Peter, it was the Officers Batmans Batman that lost this one!

It was found at RAF No.2 Depot (Later No.2 Maintenance Unit) near Altincham, it was exposed during demolition of the hangars along with a large number of Webley MkVI service revolvers which had been buried for some reason. I can only assume that they were scrap and buried rather than actually go for scrap.

I doubt they were scrap. IF they were complete, it is entirely possible they they were 'Surplus' to demands! IE: Not acounted for in the unit smallarms ledgers. It was EXTEMELY common to have 'Buckshee' smallarms during & after the War. The circumstances of weapons being moved about, lost in action Etc. It was VERY easy in those days to have almost ANY weapon you wanted! People were sick & tired of the War & anything to do with it. All they wanted was to get back home to thier families & loved ones. Burying excess & unacounted for kit was a quick & easy option! I would stick my neck out & say that ALMOST every old Wartime camp/ establishment had some 'Goodies' buried somewhere upon them! My Father recalls that the OLD Armourers shop at S.E.M.E (Havanah Barracks, Now Prince PHillip Barrack) that when HE ran that shop as Unit Armourer Sgt. He burried 'Quite a lot' of Buckshee Enfiled No.4's, Revolvers & a .50" Cal HMG under the floor foundations when they concreted it after the war! I was present there during my upgraders course many years later When that shop was demolished. It was indeed true, & I kept in touch with the civvy foreman who oversaw the demolition job. He had no choice but to declare all these weapons & they were subsequently taken away & cut up for scrap. they were rusted, But Im sure that after a LOT of cleaning up. They would have functioned. He also informed me about a HUGE amount of Brens, stens Etc that were buried around the surounding woods in Bordon Garrison that he had a bulldozer dig a trench & lay the lot out in a line & recovered over. I obviously have quized him as to where about they were entombed. But he tells me it was so many years ago, he cannot remember! these were all left behind by the Canadian army in Martineique Barracks in the attics & lofts of the old victorian buildings. Along with 'spare' Jeep tyres & other sundry MT spares. Just go's to show, what can be discovered!

[yukoner]

hi does anyone have the production numbers for the various producers of bren tripods esp the Canadian ones?
thanks yukoner

[tombear]

On this vague note if anyone needs a make a part for the folding Mk II* tripod I copied the set of D.D.(E.)s at the Pattern Room Library back when it was still MoD. Wish I'd done the Mk I and II now.

Also got the drawings for the Indian version of the folding papa tripod.

ATB

Tom