kids encyclopedia robot

Bren light machine gun facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Bren1
An early Bren light machine gun, made in a Canadian factory.

The Bren was a special type of machine gun. It was used by the British army during World War II. This gun was based on an older gun from Czechoslovakia called the ZB z/26.

The name "Bren" comes from two places. "Brno" was a city in Czechoslovakia where the ZB z/26 was made. "Enfield" was the company in Britain that built the Bren.

The Bren gun was simple to use but very strong. People knew it for its curved magazine that loaded from the top. It also had a handle to carry it easily. One soldier could carry and use it alone. It was so good that even Japan made their own version, called the Type-99 light machine gun.

British soldiers really liked the Bren. It was used by the British Armed Forces for a long time. They used it from 1938 all the way until the 1990s!

Images for kids

  • Australian assault on pillbox, January 1943, Papua, Giropa Point

    Australian soldiers attacking a pillbox at Giropa Point in January 1943.

  • A member of No. 9 Commando at Anzio, equipped for a patrol with his Bren gun, 5 March 1944. NA12469

    A soldier from No. 9 Commando ready for a patrol with his Bren gun in Anzio, March 1944.

  • Allied Forces in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H11120

    A Bren gunner from the Norwegian Brigade practices aiming in Scotland, June 1941.

  • Tysklandsbrigaden, øvelse Skandia III - Fo30141603020010

    A Bren gun with a large 100-round pan magazine. When this magazine is attached, the original sights cannot be used.

  • 1944 Bren light machine gun

    A Bren gun set up on a tripod in 2010.

  • Armamento - Museo de Armas de la Nación 09

    A Bren gun on display in an Argentine museum.

  • Machine Gun (8037159644)

    An L4-series Bren gun, which has a special flash hider and magazine.

  • VeronicaFoster-RonnieBrenGunGirl-smoke

    Veronica Foster, known as "Ronnie, the Bren Gun Girl," was a Canadian symbol for women working in factories during the war.

  • Keeping Watch

    An Indian army soldier with an Indian version of the Bren LMG, which was changed to fire 7.62 mm bullets.

  • Member of the FFI

    A member of the FFI (French Forces of the Interior) with his Bren gun in Châteaudun, 1944, watched by two young boys.

  • Monument of the Martyrs 05 Algiers

    One of the soldier statues at the Algerian Martyrs' Memorial carries a Bren machine gun.

  • Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-720-0318-04, Frankreich, Parade der Milice Francaise

    Members of the Milice (a French group) with Bren guns they captured.

  • 8th Royal Scots halted 27-10-1944

    A Bren gun near Tilburg, October 1944.

  • Twin Bren gun anti-aircraft mounting at RAF Duxford

    Two Bren guns mounted together to shoot at airplanes.

  • The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H37157

    A Universal Carrier vehicle with a Vickers machine gun and two Bren guns.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ametralladora ligera Bren para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Bren light machine gun Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.