Carrier engine cover differences
 

Hi

We are in the process of restoring a bren gun carrier, Victorian railways 595. We have been working on the engine cover. Ours does not have provision to mount the bren gun quadrant above engine cover. There are no signs of ever having the additional brackets. Were there differences in early and later carriers as to whether they had the bren gun quadrant or was it not used on carriers set up for Vickers rather than a bren gun.

Ours also has two slots towards front of cover near lifting lug. I thought it was where something had been removed but I found a picture on maple leaf (Thanks Dale) that also has these two exact slots.
Does any one know the purpose of these two slots.

Any info on how the covers were set up would be appreciated. The back bracket I can see that it would of had felt to hold the gun, what was the purpose of the bracket forward of this one and also the bracket on the right hand side was this to hold an extra Vickers ammo tin.

Thanks Eben

I believe it will be for the AA (anti aircraft) mount, and as you say, the back one, with the felt inside, is for the Bren butt.
There is a long one that has bevels cut in it, and a pall (locking device) that can be adjusted for height, and fits into the air duct as well. There is also a short plain mount about 4 to 5 inches long that just clipped onto the Bren gun std front clip, and just dropped into the mounts you have. Someone will hopefully post pictures.

That's an early production cover.
 

The first LP2 carriers were set up for the Vickers gun in the front only.

The H shaped bracket holds the butt of the Lewis or Hotchkiss light machine gun. (All three guns were used in WW1).

The bracket just ahead of it will be for a webbing strap to hold the butt in the rear bracket. The strap is probably rivetted on the left side and has a hook on the right end, similar to the hook on the strap of the 2 gal water can on the back shelf.

The little tray down on the right side plate of the cover is for the Hotchkiss ammo box. This held ammo in metal strips for the gun.

There are two pockets on the side of the ammo box holder up on the forward end of the track guard that held the round magazines for the Lewis gun.

The slots are unknown to me!

Rob

HI

Thanks guys for the info. That's cleared a couple of things up. We were thinking we may of had to try and fabricate the bren gun quadrant attachment but will leave it as is now knowing they weren't on early covers.

Yes the bracket has some remaining rivets so I understand now how the strap would of looped up over the butt of the gun.

Thanks Eben