Quote Originally Posted by Peter Laidlericon View Post
I have a funny feeling that these were originally VB gun boxes and it was a case of utilising these for all as opposed to making them especially. They had VB's long before they had Brens. On the other hand, maybe we continued using the original long box because we didn't see any point in having a mixed fleet. Or, maybe common sense prevailed and someone high up the food chain in the Ordnmance world thought about making short ones until someone whispered in his ear '............ if it ain't broke, then don't fix it....!
The UKicon transit chest DDE's for the period India recieved VB's shows the 'normal' length transit chest as do commercial Vickers booklets which I would imagine they would have been exported in.As the UK drawings also refer to the conversion of Lewis and Vickers chests I think it is more of a case of 'make do and mend' rather than 'if it ain't broke....'
I would have thought the original boxes would have lasted until the Bren came into service there ? Is there any mention of this in 'The MGO in India' ?
With the 'concessions in war material and construction of wood boxes in service use' in early 1940 giving alternative timber types and reccomendations for reducing timber thicknesses , making a smaller chest would have helped a gread deal in ecconomising timber usage I would have though regardless of mixed fleets ?
Anyway from cost,materials and logistics a smaller chest with less fresh air as per the smaller Indian version seems a good idea , but then again I have had no dealings the govermental procurement !