page_title: Bren light machine gun
section_title: Users
hierarchical_section_title: Bren light machine gun / Users
caption_attribution_description: English: Watched by two small boys, a member of the FFI (French Forces of the Interior) poses with his Bren gun at Châteaudun. Français&#160;: Observé par deux garçonnets, un membre des Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur pose avec son fusil-mitrailleur BREN à Châteaudun, Eure-et-Loir (France).
context_page_description: The Bren gun is a series of light machine guns made by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles until 1992. While best known for its role as the British and Commonwealth forces' primary infantry LMG in World War II, it was also used in the Korean War and saw service throughout the latter half of the 20th century, including the 1982 Falklands War. Although fitted with a bipod, it could also be mounted on a tripod or be vehicle-mounted.
  The Bren gun was a licensed version of the Czechoslovak ZGB 33 light machine gun which, in turn, was a modified version of the ZB vz. 26, which British Army officials had tested during a firearms service competition in the 1930s. The later Bren gun featured a distinctive top-mounted curved box magazine, conical flash hider, and quick change barrel. The name Bren was derived from Brno, the Czechoslovak city in Moravia, where the Zb vz. 26 was designed and Enfield, site of the British Royal Small Arms Factory. The designer was Václav Holek, a gun inventor and design engineer.
  In the 1950s, many Bren guns were re-barrelled to accept the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge and modified to feed from the magazine for the L1 rifle as the L4 light machine gun.
context_section_description:  Algeria: National Liberation Army received 500 Brens from Egypt
   Australia: during World War II and Korean War. Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (as L4A4). Continued in limited service until about the time of the general introduction of the F88 Steyr (ca 1990).
   Bangladesh
   Barbados
   Belize
   Belgium: post-war
   Biafra
   Botswana
   Kingdom of Bulgaria: received Czech-made Brens in 8×56mmR, designated kartěnice 39
   Canada
   Chadian FROLINAT
   Central African Republic: used by Gendarmerie and Republican Guard
   Croatia: Mark 2 version known to be used in the Croatian War of Independence.
   People's Republic of China: Many guns captured from Kuomintang. Used during Korean War. Some converted to fire 7.62x39 caliber ammunition from ammo supplied by their Soviet allies. They used regular AK-47 magazines.
   Republic of China: used by National Revolutionary Army 43,000 guns produced in 7.92×57mm Mauser by Inglis in Canada. Later in 1952, government in Taiwan produced a .30-06 Springfield version of Bren Mk II, the Type 41.
   Democratic Republic of Congo
   Central African Republic
   Cyprus
   Denmark: post-war
   Egypt
   France
   Free France: Used by the Free French Forces and French Resistance.
   Vichy France: Captured Brens were issued to the Milice.
  French Far East Expeditionary Corps
   Gambia
   Ghana
   Greece
   Grenada
   Guyana
   India: manufactured by the Ordnance Factories Board Phased out of Indian military service in 2012.
   Indonesia
   Iraq
   Ireland: Irish Defence Forces, replaced by the FN MAG in 1960s. Remained in use with Irish military reserve forces until the early 2000s.
   Israel: During its war of independence and for some time thereafter by the Haganah and the Israeli Defense Forces. Replaced after Operation Kadesh.
   Italy: airdropped to partisans and also issued to the Italian Co-Belligerent Army in the latter part of WWII. It continued to see post-war use with the Italian Army. Also used by the Italian Police in .30-06 caliber.
   Jamaica
   Empire of Japan: captured weapons.
   Jordan: Arab Legion
   Kenya
   North Korea
   Lesotho
   Libya
   Luxembourg
   Malaysia
   Myanmar
   Mauritius
   Nazi Germany: used captured examples under the designation 7.7 mm Leichtes MG 138(e)
     Nepal: Bren L4
   Netherlands: post-war
   New Zealand: WWII and L4 post war
   Nigeria
   Norway: post-war
   Pakistan
   Papua New Guinea
   Poland: Used by the Polish Underground State and Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II.
   Portugal: m/43
   Rhodesia
   Seychelles
   Sierra Leone
   South Africa
   Sri Lanka: Used by Ceylon Defence Force in World War II and thereafter by the Sri Lanka Army until the late 1970s.
   Suriname
   Swaziland
   Tanzania
   Tibet: 294 guns were purchased by the Tibetan Army in 1950.
   Tonga
   Trinidad and Tobago
   Uganda
   United Kingdom: British and Commonwealth forces, and cadet forces until the introduction of the L98 Cadet Rifle
   State of Vietnam
   Vietnam: used by Viet-Minh
   South Yemen
   Soviet Union: Supplied by the United Kingdom during the Lend-Lease program.
   Yugoslavia: Yugoslav Partisans and Chetniks during World War II; some remained in stockpiles until the Yugoslav Wars
   Zimbabwe:
caption: Watched by two small boys, a member of the FFI (French Forces of the Interior), poses with his Bren at Châteaudun, 1944.
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