New Zealand Army Bren Gun Carriers

[Dave Homewood]

Does anyone here have wartime photos of Bren Gun Carriers used by the 2nd NZEF in WWII?

Or nice detailed shots of a restored NZ Bren Gun Carrier?

Were they any different from the British carriers? Were there local NZ modifications made to them at all?

I'm considering building a 1/35th model I've had in the cupboard for years as a kiwi one. Maybe based in Italy, but possibly North Africa, not sure.

[shane]

Hi Dave
Theres a brilliant book u might find in your local libairy called Armoured fighting vehicles of NZ 1939 to 1959 by Jeffrey Plowman (no 4 of the series). It has details of all the armoured vehicles built in NZ over that time with a good section on the Bren gun carriers.
Over 1100 Bren gun carriers were built in NZ and there were some kiwi modifications to them.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Shane, I will certainly try to find that book, sounds great.

There was a factory producing them somewhere near Ardmore during the war apparently because Dad reckoned he used to see them test driving them (and he said they were factory test drivers, not Army from papakura, but he may have been wrong of course). He said they used to rip around the country roads at very high speed and sometimes tipped over on one notorious bend in the road.