BREN - Light Machine Gun

In the 1920s, Ceskoslovenská Zbrojovka A.S. (Czechoslovakia Arms Factory Ltd., abbreviated CZ), in Brno, developed a gas-operated light machine gun whose barrel could be changed with a quick-release latch and which drew ammunition from an overhead box magazine.  The gas cylinder sat below the barrel and the gas piston acted on the bolt, tilting the rear end upward to lock into the receiver.  Further experience led to the extremely successful ZB27 and ZB30 models, adopted by 24 countries. Great Britain also expressed interest in the weapon and in 1931 a ZB30 was modified to use the standard British .303-in (7.7-mm) rimmed cartridge, fed by a distinctive curved magazine.  In a 1934 competition, a slightly improved ZGB34 model proved quite superior. British authorities and CZ arranged to manufacture the gun under license at the Royal Small Arms Factory, at Enfield.  The new gun’s name borrowed the first two letters of Brno and Enfield: Bren. 

Bren Light Machine Gun was introduced in to the British Army in 1937. Bren revolutionized the British Army; equipment was designed so Bren gun magazines could be carried, an infantry section always contained a Bren Group (1 gun) for local automatic support fire and the introduction of the Bren meant that tactics could have light, fast moving automatic fire squads. With the Bren's predecessor, the Lewis, this could not be done because of its weight and dimensions.

The Bren gun was used in many roles from light support in the infantry section to a medium MG role when used with the sustained fire tripod that was issued with every gun. It was also used largely in the Anti-Aircraft role and special items of equipment were issued with it for this purpose (such as 100-round drum magazines and tripod extension legs).

Bren went into front-line service as soon as the numbers were available. It went to France in 1939 with the British Expeditionary Force in the Mk. I version of the gun. It served in North Africa and Italy; it went into France on D-Day in both Mk. I and Mk. II versions and for Operation "Market Garden" it went in the form of a shortened Mk. III version for Airborne troops. After WWII Bren served in Korea, Malaya, Cyprus, and many other countries. It was then converted to 7.62mm NATO with the introduction of the L1A1 Self-Loading-Rifle and the FN MAG General-Purpose-Machine-Gun and the Bren became the L4. It saw action in Northern Ireland, the Falklands and the Gulf War. It is still in use with second-line units and the Territorial Army today. A service history of over 60 years!