Is this an Inglis made Mk1 Bren Gun? Spotted in Eastern Ukraine (Kharkov) museum!!

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DiverDriver

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Spotted this Bren Gun in Kharkov's "Great Patriotic War Museum" (Commemorating the three battles of Kharkov). On closer inspection I can see our C-Broad Arrow on the barrel sleeve! looks like one of the early Mk1's made at John Inglis plant in Toronto. I knew there was a Lend-lease program with the Soviets during WW2 but I was pretty surprised to spot a C-Broad Arrow on one of their firearms! Or, were there any British/Commonwealth operations on the Eastern Front?

I will try to get some better pictures later this week. Also I didn't have anyone that could translate the placards in the displaycase. So my question is, can anyone tell if it is a Canadian Bren?


 
It is not an early mk1, but rather an Inglis mk1m. The biggest give-away is the lack of the second dovetail on the side which could hold the Plessey indirect fire sight. The barrel handle does have the earlier shroud piece with all the holes in it. The holes were omitted later in production. The gun also still has the little nib on the butt for the shoulder piece, which is missing. Normally the little nib was cut off and the area ground to smooth.

The serial on the barrel release does not look right, but after this many years parts do get swapped.
 
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What was on those small item labels? Placard above is in Ukrainian and tells about a) Czech battalion, b) about Soviet prisoners in Kharkiv and c) German tank division commander T.Eike.
 
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Found this pic with Bren and Boys. Lend lease.
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CZ85Combat said:
Nice find. You can't take pictures inside the Great Patriotic War Museum in Kyiv.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you've got to be sneaky. As they say, it's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission. Not supposed to take pictures in the Texas Book depository either. :redface:

Grizz
 
Horilka said:
What was on those small item labels? Placard above is in Ukrainian and tells about a) Czech battalion, b) about Soviet prisoners in Kharkiv and c) German tank division commander T.Eike.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the translation! I'll try to get back there and photograph the labels for you.
 
Supplying them with Brens is sort of a full circle situation, since the Bren is based on the Czech designed ZB vz. 26. The Bren got it's name from "BR" for Brno (Czech factory) and "EN" for Enfield
 
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