Bren Light Machine gun

Designed between the Wars by Vaclav and Emmanuel Holek and Anton Marek, the ZBvz26 was mass produced at the state-owned factory at Zbrojovka Brno, Czechoslovakia. Britain trialled the weapon in 303 calibre during the early 30’s and on the 24th May 1935 was granted a licence to manufacture it at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield. A combination of the two towns gave the name, BREN. The British Army was only just equipped with the Light Machine Gun when war began in September 1939. Adoption of the Bren dictated the organisation of the smallest tactical infantry unit, the Rifle Section. In the Section the Rifle Group comprised 6 soldiers and the leader, a corporal. They were supported in fire and movement by the Bren Group of 2 soldiers and a lance corporal. Small vehicles such as the tracked Bren Gun carrier might be provided to move the Bren Group and its equipment to the start line. Even the Pattern ’37 webbing set was designed with large pouches so every man could carry additional Bren magazines.

Britain and Canada together produced about 400,000 guns. Used by all the Commonwealth Armies it was also parachuted to partisans and issued to the Chinese Army. The German Army used the original Czech gun. Considered by many to be the best LMG of the war, the Bren adapted to the NATO 7.62 mm rimless round continued as the L4A2 into the 1980s.