Bren Mk2 Parts Kit?

[Peter Laidler]

Sort of related to Mk2 guns but....... As you are probably aware, a group oif people, such as a school or village could contribute £30 or so to a fund for the purchase of a Bren gun. You could contribute a tad more for a Spitfire or a Lancaster but that's another matter.....). Talking to an immediate post-war Armourer the other day, he told me the sequence of events.

The £37 from MILL HILL SCHOOL O.B's or SHALBOURNE went into a central 'kitty' somewhere and a week or so later an approx 2 x 1" engraved brass plaque would end up on the desk of the Quartermaster of the Regiment most closely associated with that donor. So the plaque from Mill Hill School Old Boys from North London/Middlesex found its way to the Middlesex Regiment where it was sent to the Armourers shop with instructions to screw it to the butt, on the left side of a Bren Gun. Likewise, a brass plate from the village of Shalbourne in Wiltshire went to The Wiltshire Regiment fighting in Italy.

After the war, when the regiments were being reduced along with any sentiment, instructions were issued that when a 'donated' Bren gun was returned to Ordnance, the plate was to be removed and presumably discarded. That is how he came to be the proud owner of a rather down at heel Mk2 Bren gun butt, complete with the brass plaque MILL HILL SCHOOL O.B's and another similar plaque marked SHALBOURNE (near Marlborough) he took from another gun in post war Austria. Out of idle curiosity he contacted Mill Hill School during the early 50's and the Secretary's minutes confirmed the collection of the money AND the acknowledgement and the fact that the gift of a Bren gun was being sent to the Middlesex Regiment who's location they were unable to disclose (probably for security reasons.....). The other plate was taken from a Bren that had come with the Wiltshires up through Italy and passed onto the Middlesex Regiment.

So, if by some chance you see a pile of Mk2 Brens or butts and see 4 small screw holes in the left side, there's a chance - yes I know it's slim - that it was a donor Bren. Why a Mk2 butt? There's not enough meat on a Mk1 butt for the screws nor is there a suitable space!

Another useless bit of Bren info

Obviously a Bren gun wasn't a gift but just named

Information

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