The Bren Gun Mark 1 Transit Case, or “Chest, Equipment, Bren Mk. I”, is a stout wood box meant to safely store and transport the Bren Light Machine Gun and its associated accessories. This example dates to the Second World War.
Construction
- Material: The chest is constructed from solid wood. This example appears to be built from pine and features dovetailed joints at the corners, for added strength. The exterior is painted in a standard wartime green finish and has various markings, as shown in the accompanying photos.
- Portability: The chest was meant to be carried by two people, using the rope handles, due to the weight of the chest when filledt. See Contents and Storage, below as well as the accompanying photos.
- Structure: The lid is hinged and can be made secure by two front closure hasps. See the accompanying photos
- Interior Configuration: The interior would normally be divided into various compartments to secure: the gun, a spare barrel, and additional magazines. The compartments are not extant with this example. See the accompanying photos.
Contents and Storage
The Mark 1 transit chest was designed to contain:
- Bren Light Machine Gun (Mark 1)
- Spare Barrel
- Spare 30 Round Magazines: The chest includes storage for spare 30-round magazines
- Accessories, including: cleaning kits, spare parts, and oil bottles
Note: The markings on the front of this chest indicate that it contained a Bren Gun Mark 1M. The Mark 1M was a transitional variant of the gun with features of both the Mark 1 and the Mark 2 versions of the weapon and is displayed along with this chest. The Mark 1M was made almost exclusively by the John Inglis Company in Toronto.
