Bren at War

[Brit plumber]

I've lost a nights sleep here BP........... How can you tell from this side that it's an intermediate Mk1

There's some tell tales on the body of the gun Peter. Only a Enfield intermediate gun would have them in the combination shown on that gun. I've attached a photo of E9905 and the gun in the desert photo, in red I've circled the rib on the RHS, the fluted gas ports and the dished gas shield. In blue I've circled the missing scalloped area in front of the mag well and the contoured section at the rear, as all original Enfield Mk1 would have these. From this I can tell that the serial number would have been between E1793 and F7532 and I believe I can narrow it down even more as I have listed 1940 E9534 which has its original Mk1 lower and 1941 F3335 which has a Mk1 modified ptn A lower so I believe the gun shown is between E9535 and F3334. Of course the lower could have been replaced later in service but it still has a butt disk and spoon, and hopefully you can tell me when they were omitted as I'm not sure but recall it being early 1941ish.

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, got that BP I couldn't see whether the top was rounded and missed the lightening recess on the mag housing. Will come back with the marking disc and shoulder strap date but there seems to have been a lot of fluidity with these deletions. And of course, these, or lack of them, the different butt slides and even type of butt doesn't alter the Mk1 designation or the fact that it's a, say, 3rd stage intermediate. Where are you now?

[Luis Bren]

Object description:THE BRITISH ARMY PREPARES FOR WAR

An infantry Bren Gun team, with their gun on a tripod mounting, in position on the edge of a wood during an exercise.



Object description:THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45

Bren gun team in action at a battle school in Eastern command, 14 September 1942.



Object description

Recruits of the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) fire a Bren gun, 1939.

[Luis Bren]

Attachment 46306

Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in North Africa.
(My father far right)

You should feel proud of your father!

OMG! Captured Pzkw??

[Vincent]

Yes, I am very proud of him.

It is British Valentine tank.

[Luis Bren]

Object description:THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45
Bren gun team in action at 45th Division battle school, 14 August 1942.



Object description:THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN 1944
Gunner A J Bull of the Royal Artillery, manning a Bren gun, writes a few lines of poetry, 11 July 1944.



Object description:THE HOME GUARD 1939-45
Home Guard soldiers fire a Bren gun set up on an anti-aircraft mounting, during an exercise near Exeter, 10 August 1941.

[Luis Bren]

Attachment 46306

Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in North Africa.
(My father far right)

Same Tank and Crew(your father)?



Object description
Valentine tank carrying infantry of the Black Watch, March 1943.

[Warren]

Attachment 46306

Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in North Africa.
(My father far right)

You mean the chap holding the Beretta M 38 SMG ??? :-)##

[nzl1a1collector]

Photo 3 (desert) will be a staged photo..... the ubiquitous screwdriver/spanner somewhere on something making the person look like they are doing something important. LOL

[Vincent]

You mean the chap holding the Beretta M 38 SMG ??? :-)##

Yes, that's him. I believe he's holding a Thompson.

I can see how one might think it's a Beretta M38, but it's probably the movement when the picture was taken that makes it look that way. They were issued the Thompson.