Early Bren...how low can you go?

[stencollector]

Attached are some photos of an early Inglis mk1 Bren I picked up as part of a collection the other day. Serial number is M93, which should make it the 93rd production Bren made at Inglis. I already have a 3 digit serial numbered mk1 Inglis Bren, but this is my first 2 digit number. Not sure I'll find a single digit but I'll keep looking.

As an extra bonus it came with an almost mint Cdn marked (made by Bata Canada) brass catcher bag.


Has anyone seen any Inglis Bren serials lower?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

What a nice old gun that is...

[Brit plumber]

These are the earliest Bren gun I have on record,

Inglis M93, M120, M155, M177, M244, M537
Enfield A113, A133, A324, A374
Lithgow A2, A5, A22, A28, A33, A38, A40, A42, A53, A63, A68, A79, A106, A123, A124, A128, A129, A145, A202, A223, A230, A232, A243, A244, A250, A254, A261, A264, A286, A307, A319, A331, A377

Enfield Revolver

Enfield 1, 42, 52, 177, 188
Albion A1353

STEN Mk1

N052740, N070927, N078957

[stencollector]

Thanks for the numbers. I think one of those other Inglis numbers could be mine as well, but it is out in the shop...I may be out there later today and will check then. Edited to add: Yep, had a look and serial M155 is hanging off my Bren Carrier.

I see you have some Sten numbers too. I have serial 0L18 mk2 LongBranch Sten in my collection if you want to keep track of those. Still keeping an eye out for a lower number, but it isn't looking good.

[Woodsy]

Hi Brit, I never knew you were gathering Mk I Sten numbers as well. Mine is N023315. It came out of Switzerland a few years ago and is in very tidy condition (live). I wonder if it was a French Resistance gun that got across the border?

[gsimmons]

Woodsy, we'd love to see pictures of your MkI.

[Woodsy]

Woodsy, we'd love to see pictures of your MkI.

This is a photo of a Sten display I did a couple of years ago. Theoretically my Mk I Sten should have been destroyed with the rest of the first 30,000 during the war, and if it had been in the UK at the time it probably would have been. That is why I think it could be a Resistance gun and got over the border into Switzerland.

[Woodsy]

In vertical rows the guns are: Left Row; MP40, Mk II Sten, Mk V Sten. Centre Row; Thompson M1928A1, Mk I Sten, NZ Local Pattern Sten, Mk I Austen. Right Row; Mk I* Lanchester, Mk III Sten, Mk I Owen.

The New Zealand LP Sten was a Mk II gun but the body was wrapped and spot welded like the Mk III. 10,000 were made for the NZ Army in 1942. 1,000 Mk II Stens were made first for the RNZAF for airfield defence and were known as the ARMAF Mk I. I have one of those as well.

[Peter Laidler]

I'm not sure that there was ever an instruction to destroy any of the Mk1 guns. They were simply declared obsolescent.

[Woodsy]

I'm not sure that there was ever an instruction to destroy any of the Mk1 guns. They were simply declared obsolescent.

Hi Peter. I am referring to the list 'The Magnitude of the Problem' on page 301 of your Sten book which shows the first 35,602 Mk I's were recalled for destruction.