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Universal Carrier

The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier and sometimes simply the Bren Carrier from the light machine gun armament,[3] is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrongs and other companies.

Universal Carrier
Universal Carrier as mortar carrier with Bren mounted at front
TypeArmoured personnel carrier/weapon carrier
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
Used byUnited Kingdom and British Commonwealth, France
WarsWorld War II
Indonesian National Revolution
Indochina War
1948 Arab–Israeli War
Costa Rican Civil War
Korean War
Suez Crisis
Biafran War
Production history
No. built113,000
Specifications (Universal Carrier, Mk 1)
Mass
  • 3 ton 16 cwt (3.75 t) laden[1]
  • 3 ton 5 cwt (3.19 t) unladen
Length12 ft (3.65 m)[1]
Width6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)[1]
Height5 ft 2 inch (1.57 m)
Crew3

Armour7–10 mm
Main
armament
Bren light machine gun or Boys anti-tank rifle
Secondary
armament
one Vickers machine gun/M2 Browning machine gun, or 2-inch mortar/3-inch mortar, or Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank carried
Engine3.9-litre (239 cu. in.) Ford V8 petrol[2]
85 hp (63 kW) at 3,500 rpm[2]
SuspensionHorstmann
Fuel capacity20 imp gal (91 L)[1]
Operational
range
150 miles (250 km)[2]
Maximum speed 30 mph (48 km/h)[2]

The first carriers – the Bren Carrier and the Scout Carrier with specific roles – entered service before the war, but a single improved design that could replace these, the Universal, was introduced in 1940.

The vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or as machine gun platforms.

Design and development edit

The origins of the Universal Carrier family can be traced back generally to the Carden Loyd tankettes family, which was developed in the 1920s, and specifically the Mk VI tankette.[4]

In 1934, Vickers-Armstrongs produced, as a commercial venture, a light tracked vehicle that could be used either to carry a machine gun or to tow a light field gun. The VA.D50 had an armored box at the front for driver and a gunner and bench seating at the back for the gun crew. The War Office considered it as a possible replacement for their Vickers "Light Dragon" artillery tractors and took 69 as the "Light Dragon Mark III".[5] One was built as the "Carrier, Machine-Gun Experimental (Armoured)", carrying a machine gun and its crew. The decision was made to drop the machine gun and its team and the next design had a crew of three – driver and gunner in the front, third crew-member on the left in the rear and the right rear open for storage. Fourteen of this design were built in mild steel as "Carrier, Machine-Gun No 1 Mark 1" and entered service in 1936. Six were converted into pilot models for the Machine gun Carrier No.2, Cavalry Carrier and Scout Carrier designs – the remainder were used for training.[6]

 
The sidevalve Ford engine was in the centre of the vehicle with the final drive at the rear.

The carrier put the driver and commander at the front sitting side by side; the driver to the right. The Ford V8 sidevalve engine with four speed gearbox was placed in the centre of the vehicle with the final drive (a commercial Ford axle[7]) at the rear. The suspension and running gear were based on that used on the Vickers light tank series using Horstmann springs.[8] Directional control was through a vertical steering wheel which pivoted about a horizontal axis. Small turns moved the crosstube that carried the front road wheel bogies laterally, warping the track so the vehicle drifted to that side. Further movement of the wheel braked the appropriate track to give a tighter turn.

The hull in front of the commander's position jutted forward to give room for the Bren light machine gun (or other armaments) to fire through a simple slit. To either side of the engine was an area in which passengers could ride or stores could be carried. Initially, there were several types of Carrier that varied slightly in design according to their purpose: "Medium Machine Gun Carrier" (the Vickers machine gun), "Bren Gun Carrier", "Scout Carrier" and "Cavalry Carrier". The production of a single model came to be preferred and the Universal design appeared in 1940; this was the most widely produced of the carriers. It differed from the previous models in that the rear section of the body had a rectangular shape, with more space for the crew.

Production edit

 
Australian-built machine gun carrier

Production of carriers began in 1934 and ended in 1960.[2] Before the Universal design was introduced, the vehicles were produced by Aveling and Porter, Bedford Vehicles, Ford of Britain, Morris Motors Limited, the Sentinel Waggon Works, and the Thornycroft company. With the introduction of the Universal, production in the UK was undertaken by Aveling-Barford, Ford, Sentinel, Thornycroft, and Wolseley Motors. By 1945 production amounted to approximately 57,000 of all models, including some 2,400 early ones.

The Universal Carriers, in different variants, were also produced in allied countries. Ford Motor Company of Canada manufactured about 29,000 vehicles known as the Ford C01UC Universal Carrier. Smaller numbers of them were also produced in Australia (about 5,000), where hulls were made in several places in Victoria and by South Australian Railways workshops in Adelaide, South Australia. About 1,300 were also produced in New Zealand.

Universal Carriers were manufactured in the United States of America for allied use with GAE and GAEA V-8 Ford engines.[9] About 20,000 were produced.

Operational history edit

The Universal Carrier was ubiquitous in all the theatres during the Second World War with British and Commonwealth armies,[10] from the war in the East to the occupation of Iceland.[11] Although the theory and policy was that the carrier was a "fire power transport" and the crew would dismount to fight, practice differed. It could carry machine guns, anti-tank rifles, mortars, infantrymen, supplies, artillery and observation equipment.[10]

United Kingdom edit

 
A Universal Carrier of 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment catches air on manoeuvres, Scotland, 10 November 1942

The seven mechanized divisional cavalry regiments in the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France during 1939–1940 were equipped with Scout Carriers – 44 carriers and 28 light tanks in each regiment. There were 10 Bren Carriers in each infantry battalion in the same period.[12]

The Reconnaissance Corps regiments – which replaced the cavalry regiments in supporting Infantry divisions after 1940 – were each equipped with 63 carriers, along with 28 Humber Scout Cars.

Universal Carriers were issued to the support companies in infantry rifle battalions for carrying support weapons (initially 10,[13] 21 by 1941,[14] and up to 33 per battalion by 1943[15]). A British armoured division of 1940–41 had 109 carriers; each motor battalion had 44.[16]

 
British troops leap from their Universal Carrier during an exercise.

A British Carrier platoon originally had ten Universal Carriers with three carrier sections of three Universal Carriers each plus another Universal Carrier in the platoon HQ (along with a 15-cwt GS truck). Each Universal Carrier had a non-commissioned officer (NCO), a rifleman and a driver-mechanic. One Universal Carrier in each section was commanded by a sergeant, the other two by corporals.

All the Universal Carriers were armed with a Bren gun and one carrier in each carrier section also had a Boys anti-tank rifle. By 1941, the carrier platoon had increased in strength to contain four carrier sections; one carrier in each carrier section also carried a 2-inch mortar.

By 1943, each Universal Carrier had a crew of four, an NCO, driver-mechanic and two riflemen. The Boys anti-tank rifle was also replaced by the PIAT anti-tank weapon. The Universal Carrier's weapons could be fired from in- or outside the carrier. A carrier platoon had a higher number of light support weapons than a rifle company.

Carrier section composition (after 1943)[citation needed]
Task Rank Weapon Notes
Orderly Private Sten Equipped with a motorcycle
Carrier 1
Commander Sergeant Rifle
Driver-mechanic Private Rifle
Gunner Private Bren
Rifleman Lance corporal Rifle No.38 Wireless set
Carrier 2
Commander Corporal Rifle
Driver-mechanic Private Rifle
Gunner Private Bren
Rifleman Private Rifle 2-inch mortar with 36 rounds
Carrier 3
Commander Corporal Rifle
Driver-mechanic Private Rifle
Gunner Private Bren
Rifleman Private Rifle and PIAT

To allow the Universal to function as an artillery tractor in emergencies, a towing attachment that could allow it to haul the Ordnance QF 6 pounder anti-tank gun was added from 1943. Normally the Loyd Carrier – which was also used as a general utility carrier – acted as the tractor for the 6-pdr.[1]

In Motorised Infantry Battalions in BAOR (British Army of the Rhine) in the early 1950s the Universal was issued one per platoon carrying the Platoon Commander, driver, signaller and the 2-inch Mortar group Nos 1 & 2.

Australia edit

Universal and the earlier Bren carriers were used by Australian Army units in the Western Desert campaign.[17]

Australian Universal Carriers were deployed to the Western Desert, Egypt during August 1942 serving as command vehicles for the 9th Divisional Cavalry Regiment.[18]

Germany edit

Captured Universal Carriers were used in a number of roles by German forces.

A total of around sixty Bren No.2 Carriers and Belgian Army Vickers Utility Tractors were converted into demolition vehicles. Carrying a large explosive charge, these would be driven up to enemy positions under remote control and detonated, destroying both themselves and the target. Twenty-nine of both kinds were deployed in 1942 during the Siege of Sevastopol. They achieved some success in destroying Soviet trenches and bunkers, but a significant number were destroyed by artillery. Others were disabled by land mines before reaching their target or were lost because of mechanical breakdowns. A difficulty for the Germans using these foreign-built vehicles was the lack of spare parts.[19]

Variants edit

 
Bren Carrier No.2. The earlier carriers had much less armour than the Universal. In this case only one side behind the driver protected with a sloping plate.
 
Universal Carrier Mk II
 
Flamethrower-equipped universal carrier at the Israeli Armored Corps museum in Latrun

The widespread production of the Carrier allowed for several variants to be developed, manufactured and/or used by different countries.

Argentine edit

An attempted conversion to self-propelled artillery consisting of a single T16 carrier fitted with a six-Model 1968 recoilless gun mount was developed in the late 1960s or early 1970s.[citation needed]

British edit

Carrier, Machine-Gun No. 2
Introduced in 1937[20]
Carrier, Bren No.2, Mark I and Mark II
Seating for three crew.[21] Armour plate on front and left hand side only.[20]
Carrier, Scout Mk 1
Carried a No. 11 Wireless set.[21] Armour plate on front and right hand side only.[20]
Carrier, Cavalry Mk 1
Used for carrying personnel of Light tank regiments in Mobile Divisions. A total of 50 were built by Nuffield, discontinued with the reorganization of the Mobile Divisions into Armoured divisions.[12] Seating was provided for six passengers on benches.[21]
Carrier, Armoured Observation Post
For carrying Royal Artillery observers under protection. The machine gun position was fitted with an armoured shutter instead of gun slit. Ninety-five built in two marks.
Carrier, Armoured, 2-pounder (40 mm)
A Carrier, Machine Gun converted to mount a 2-pdr gun with fixed armoured shield protecting the crew
Carrier, Armoured 6-pounder (57 mm)
Universal Mk. I
Initial model.
Universal Mk. II
Updated stowage and layout, battery moved behind the divisional plate, towing hitch added. Welded waterproofed hull. Crew of four. 2-inch mortar or 4-inch smoke mortar beside gunner. Spare wheel on front hull. weighed 1/2 ton more than Mark I.
Universal Mk. III
Welded hull as Mark II, modified air inlet and engine cover.
Wasp (FT, Transportable, No. 2)
A flamethrower-equipped variant, using the "Flame-thrower, Transportable, No 2". The Mark I had a fixed flamethrower on the front of the vehicle fed from two fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 imperial gallons (450 L). 1000 produced.[17] The Mk II had the projector in the co-driver's position. The Mk IIC (C for Canadian) had a single 75 imperial gallons (340 L) fuel tank on the rear of the vehicle outside the armour protection, allowing a third crew member to be carried. Many Wasp variants were fitted out at No.71 Factory in Stoke-on-Trent, at the premises that after the war became Rists Wire and Cables. No.71 Factory also repaired 20mm Hispano cannons during WW2.

Australian edit

 
An Australian 3 inch mortar carrier
  • Carrier, Machine Gun, Local Pattern, No. 1: Also known as "LP1 Carrier (Aust)". Australian production similar to Bren carrier but welded and some minor differences.[22]
  • Universal Carrier MG, Local Pattern No. 2: Also known as "LP2 Carrier (Aust)". Australian-built variant of the Universal Carrier. Also produced in New Zealand. Used 1938–1939 Ford commercial axles; the 2A had 1940 Ford truck axles.
  • 2-pounder Anti-tank Gun Carrier (Aust) or Carrier, 2-pdr Tank Attack: A heavily modified and lengthened LP2 carrier with a fully traversable QF 2 pounder (40 mm) anti-tank gun mounted on a platform at the rear and the engine moved to the front left of the vehicle. Stowage was provided for 112 rounds of 2pdr ammunition. 200 were produced and used for training.[23]
  • 3 inch Mortar Carrier (Aust): A design based on the 2 Pounder Carrier with a 3-inch (76 mm) mortar mounted in place of the 2 pounder. Designed to enable the mortar to have 360 degree traverse and to be fired either from the vehicle, or dismounted. 400 were produced and were ultimately sent as military aid to the Nationalist Chinese Army.[23]

Canadian edit

 
Windsor carrier, Overloon Museum
"Carrier, Universal No.3"
  • Mk.I* (certain differences, otherwise similar to British model)
  • Mk.II* (certain differences, otherwise similar to British model)
  • Mk.II*
Carrier, 2-pdr Equipped
Canadian modification of Mark I* and II* to mount 2-pdr gun. 213 used for training.[22]
Wasp Mk II*
Canadian version of the Wasp flamethrower variant.
Windsor Carrier
Canadian development with a longer chassis extended by 76 cm (30 in) and an additional wheel in the aft bogie.

American edit

 
T16 carrier

American production of the Universal followed the same design as the British Marks I to III[20]

  • Carrier, Universal No.2 Mark I - Ford GAEA engine
  • Carrier, Universal No.2A Mark I - Ford GAE engine
  • Carrier, Universal No.2 Mark II - Ford GAE engine
  • Carrier, Universal No.2A Mark II - Ford GAEA engine
  • Carrier, Universal No.2 Mark III - Ford GAE engine
  • Carrier, Universal No.2A Mark III - Ford GAEA engine
T-16
The Carrier, Universal, T16, Mark I., initially "Cargo Carrier T16" was the result of US experimentation in 1942 to improve on the Universal for British use and for US in the Pacific war.[20] It was a significantly improved vehicle based upon those built by Ford of Canada, manufactured under Lend Lease by Ford in the United States from March 1943 to 1945. At 155 in (3.9 m)[24] it was longer than the Universal with an extra road wheel on the rear bogie; making for a pair of full Horstmann dual-wheel suspension units per side, the engine was a Mercury-division 239 version (GAU370) of the Ford V8 delivering the same power. Instead of the steering wheel controlling the combination brake/warp mechanism, the T-16 used track-brake steering operated by levers (two for each side). The British were supplied with over 3,200 in 1944-1945 but it was considered mechanically unreliable and had less carrying capacity than the Universal.[20] During the war, it was chiefly used by Canadian forces as an artillery tractor. After the war, was used by Argentine, Swiss (300) and Dutch forces.

German edit

  • 2 cm Flak 38 auf Fahrgestell Bren(e): Single barrel German 2 cm Flak 38 cannon mounted over the engine compartment of a captured Bren carrier.
  • 3.7 cm Pak auf Fahrgestell Bren(e): Captured carrier of 1940, reused by the Germans and fitted with a 3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank gun.
  • Panzerjäger Bren 731(e): Bren carriers captured by the Germans and fitted with a transport rack for three Panzerschreck anti-tank rocket launchers; the weapons were not fired from the Bren gun carrier, only transported.[25]

Italian edit

In 1942, at the request of the Italian Army (Regio Esercito), Fiat produced a prototype carrier copied from a captured Universal Carrier; it was known as the Fiat 2800 or CVP-4. It is uncertain whether production vehicles were manufactured.[citation needed] Bren carriers captured by the Italians in the field were often fitted with Breda M37 machine guns.[26]

Praying Mantis edit

 
Praying Mantis prototype at The Tank Museum

The Praying Mantis came from an attempt to produce a low-silhouette vehicle that could still fire over obstacles. A one-man design based on Carden Loyd suspension was not adopted, but the inventor was encouraged to design a two-man version. This version was built in 1943, based on the Universal Carrier. The hull was replaced with an enclosed metal-box structure with enough room for a driver and a gunner lying prone. This box, pivoting from the rear, could be elevated. At the top end was a machine-gun turret (with two Bren guns). The intention was to drive the Mantis up to a wall or hedgerow, elevate the gun, and fire over the obstacle from a position of safety. It was rejected after trials in 1944.[27] An example of the Mantis is preserved in The Tank Museum.

Operators edit

Many variants of the British Universal Carrier have been fielded and used by the armed forces of the following countries, amongst many others:

 
Universal Carrier, 13th Frontier Force Rifles British Indian Army, in Italy, 13 December 1943.
 
Soviet Red Army soldiers travelling on a British Universal Carrier received from the UK under the Lend-Lease programme near Boulevard of Carol I in the Romanian capital of Bucharest in August 1944.

Pre-war/Second World War period edit

Post-war period edit

 
A British Indian soldier guarding a captured significantly-modified Universal Carrier, used by Indonesian TKR Laut[41] forces during the Battle of Surabaya in November 1945[42]
  •   Afghanistan[43]
  •   Argentina (250, including T-16s, supplied by the UK between 1946 and 1950)[44]
  •   Biafra (very likely obtained from a French trader, with some converted and modified locally with extra armour)[45]
  •   Ceylon (former British stocks, which were retired from frontline service in the 1960s)
  •   Costa Rica
  •   Denmark (some were armed with a M40 recoilless rifle)[33]
  •   Egypt[33] (possibly provided by departing British forces from the Middle East)
  •   France (small numbers used by the French expeditionary corps, the CEFEO, fighting in Indochina[46])
  •   Indonesia (small numbers of ex-Japanese stocks were captured and used by the People's Security Army during the Battle of Surabaya)[42]
  •   Israel[33] (received many from withdrawing British troops in Palestine, aside from buying them from the scrapyards of various European countries after WWII and capturing them from Egypt between their conflicts)
  •   Kuwait (former British stocks, which were retired from frontline service in 1961)[citation needed]
  •   Federal Republic of Germany (the Bundeswehr received 100 ex-British UCs in 1956)[33]
  •   The Netherlands: a number operated following WWII (possibly ex-British UCs), especially in the independence war in their former colony of Indonesia (the Dutch East Indies) between 1945 and 1949, as part of the Indonesian National Revolution. A small number were lost and subsequently taken over by the new Indonesian Republic's military.
  •    Switzerland (used and fielded predominantly US-built T16 versions of the Universal Carrier up until possibly the early 1960s)[citation needed]

Gallery edit

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. 124
  2. ^ a b c d e McNab 2003, p. 142
  3. ^ Fletcher 2005, p. 5.
  4. ^ Fletcher 2005, p. 3.
  5. ^ A larger Vickers Medium Dragon was used for guns up to 0-pounder
  6. ^ Instruction book, 1939, p7
  7. ^ Instruction book, 1939, p20
  8. ^ "Britain's Bren Gun Carrier". WWIIvehicles.com. 10 May 1940. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  9. ^ Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. 119-120.
  10. ^ a b Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. 105
  11. ^ a b Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. 113.
  12. ^ a b Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. [page needed].
  13. ^ An Infantry (Rifle) Battalion, ref II/1931/12B/3, notified in Army Council Instructions 6 April 1938
  14. ^ An Infantry Battalion (Higher Establishment), ref II/1931/12F/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 4 June 1941.
  15. ^ An Infantry Battalion, ref II/233/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 19 May 1943, effective date 30 April 1943.
  16. ^ a b c d Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. 119.
  17. ^ a b Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. 118.
  18. ^ "Image: Western Desert, Egypt. 08 AUG 1942. Command Vehicle of 9th Australian Divisional Cavalry Regiment sending and receiving messages". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  19. ^ H. R. Everett; Michael Toscano (13 November 2015). Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II. MIT Press. p. 474. ISBN 978-0-262-33176-0.
  20. ^ a b c d e f Chamberlain & Crow 1970.
  21. ^ a b c Instruction book, 1939, p24
  22. ^ a b Chamberlain & Crow 1970, p. 120
  23. ^ a b Cecil 1992, p. [page needed]
  24. ^ TM9-2800 (1943) p44
  25. ^ WW II German Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons:
  26. ^ Battistelli, Pier Paolo; Crociani, Piero. Italian Soldier in North Africa 1941–1943. Warrior 169. Osprey. p. 62.
  27. ^ Fletcher, p47
  28. ^ Fletcher 2005, p. 41.
  29. ^ a b Jowett, Philip S. (2004). Rays of the Rising Sun: Armed Forces of Japan's Asian Allies 1931-45: Volume 1: China and Manchukuo. Helion & Company Limited. p. 76. ISBN 9781906033781.
  30. ^ "Taktický výcvik Universal Carrier – VHK Erika Brno z.s."
  31. ^ "La bataille de Bir Hakeim" [The Battle of Bir Hakeim]. cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr (in French). Ministère de la défense. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  32. ^ Tracol, Xavier (October 2010). "Le Blindorama : L'Irlande, 1919 - 1938". Batailles & Blindés (in French). No. 39. Caraktère. pp. 4–5. ISSN 1765-0828.
  33. ^ a b c d e Fletcher 2005, p. 42
  34. ^ Battistelli, Pier Paolo (2013). Italian Soldier in North Africa, 1941-43. London: Osprey Publishing. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-7809-6855-1.
  35. ^ Mahé, Yann (June 2011). "Le Blindorama : Les Pays-Bas, 1939 - 1945". Batailles & Blindés (in French). No. 43. Caraktère. pp. 4–7. ISSN 1765-0828.
  36. ^ Fletcher 2005, p. 38.
  37. ^ Fletcher 2005, p. 37.
  38. ^ "Russia (British Empire War Assistance)", Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), vol. 421, cc2513-9, 16 April 1946
  39. ^ Thers, Alexandre (February 2013). "Le Blindorama: La Yougoslavie, 1930 - 1945". Batailles & Blindés (in French). No. 53. Caraktère. pp. 4–7. ISSN 1765-0828.
  40. ^ Fletcher 2005, p. 17.
  41. ^ Abbreviation of Tentara Keamanan Rakyat[-]Laut (Indonesian: People's Security Army Naval Branch), predecessor of the Indonesian Navy
  42. ^ a b Haryadi 2019, p. 121
  43. ^ Zaloga, Steven; Luczak, Wojciech; Beldam, Barry (1992). Armor of the Afghanistan War. Armor 2009. Concord Publications. p. 3. ISBN 978-9623619097.
  44. ^ Tracol, Xavier (October 2011). "Blindorama: L'Argentine 1926-1945". Batailles et Blindés (in French). No. 45. Caraktère. pp. 4–7. ISSN 1765-0828.
  45. ^ Jowett, Philip (2016). Modern African Wars (5): The Nigerian-Biafran War 1967-70. Men-at-Arms 507. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 978-1472816092.
  46. ^ B L M E O – IMG 11-0 à 11-111 (in French)

References edit

  • Bishop, Chris (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships and Submarines. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 1-58663-762-2.
  • Cecil, Michael K. (1992). Australian Military Equipment Profiles, vol 2, Local Pattern Carriers 1939 to 1945. Australian Military Equipment Profiles. ISBN 0-646-12600-8.
  • Chamberlain, Peter; Crow, Duncan (1970). No. 14 Carriers. AFV Profile. Profile Publishing.
  • Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris (2001) [1969]. British and American Tanks of World War Two: The complete illustrated history of British, American, and Commonwealth tanks 1933–1945. Cassell & Company.
  • Fletcher, David (1989). The Great Tank Scandal: British Armour in the Second World War - Part 1. HMSO. ISBN 978-0-11-290460-1.
  • Fletcher, David (2005). Universal Carrier 1936–48: The 'Bren Gun Carrier' Story. New Vanguard 110. illustrated by Tony Bryan. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-813-7.
  • Harris, J.P. (1995). Men, Ideas, and Tanks: British Military Thought and Armoured Forces, 1903–1939. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-4814-2.
  • Haryadi, Yosafat Robert (2019). Sejarah Kavaleri Korps Marinir (in Indonesian). Surabaya: Penerbit Karunia. ISBN 978-979-9039-97-2.
  • McNab, Chris (2003). Military Vehicles: 300 of the World's Most Effective Military Vehicles. Grange Books. ISBN 1-84013-539-5.
  • Tucker, Spencer (2004). Tanks: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-57607-995-3.
  • The War Office (1939). Carriers, Machine Gun, No. 1, Mark I, and No. 2, Mark I; Bren, No. 1, Mark I and No. 2, Marks 1 and II; Cavalry, Mark I; and Scout, Mark I – Instruction Book. HMSO.

Further reading edit

  • Watson, Nigel (2007). Universal Carriers Volume 1: Dragon – Armoured MG – Cavalry – Scout – AOP – Bren – Lloyd – Universal. Watson Books. ISBN 978-0955600906.
  • Watson, Nigel (2008). Universal Carriers Volume 2: Universal – Mortar – Medium Machine Gun – T16 – Windsor – Local Pattern – Oxford – Cambridge – Flamethrowers – Armoured Snowmobile – Variants. Watson Books. ISBN 978-0955600913.
  • Watson, Nigel (2011). Universal Carriers Volume 3 (Drawing Archive): Variants – Parts – Hull Details – Restored, Project Vehicles & Wrecks – Veteran Experiences. Watson Books. ISBN 978-0-9556009-2-0.

External links edit

  • Universal Carrier production and technical data
  • mapleleafup.net "The Ford Universal Carrier"
  • diggerhistory.info "Bren Carrier"
  • Britain's Carriers at wwiivehicles.com
  • Eighth Army Bren Gun carrier in the Middle East, 1941 (photo)
  • Bren Gun carrier with German Machine Gun in Gazala, Middle East, 1941 (photo)
  • Assembling Bren Gun carriers in New Zealand (photo)
  • Restored Bren Gun carrier being driven by a collector in Australia (video)
  • Images of ex-Argentinean T16 carriers for sale (retrieved 2014-04-05)

universal, carrier, bren, carrier, redirects, here, bren, light, machine, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, janu. Bren Gun Carrier redirects here For the gun see Bren light machine gun This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Universal Carrier also known as the Bren Gun Carrier and sometimes simply the Bren Carrier from the light machine gun armament 3 is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers Armstrongs and other companies Universal CarrierUniversal Carrier as mortar carrier with Bren mounted at frontTypeArmoured personnel carrier weapon carrierPlace of originUnited KingdomService historyUsed byUnited Kingdom and British Commonwealth FranceWarsWorld War IIIndonesian National RevolutionIndochina War1948 Arab Israeli WarCosta Rican Civil WarKorean WarSuez CrisisBiafran WarProduction historyNo built113 000Specifications Universal Carrier Mk 1 Mass3 ton 16 cwt 3 75 t laden 1 3 ton 5 cwt 3 19 t unladenLength12 ft 3 65 m 1 Width6 ft 9 in 2 06 m 1 Height5 ft 2 inch 1 57 m Crew3Armour7 10 mmMainarmamentBren light machine gun or Boys anti tank rifleSecondaryarmamentone Vickers machine gun M2 Browning machine gun or 2 inch mortar 3 inch mortar or Projector Infantry Anti Tank carriedEngine3 9 litre 239 cu in Ford V8 petrol 2 85 hp 63 kW at 3 500 rpm 2 SuspensionHorstmannFuel capacity20 imp gal 91 L 1 Operationalrange150 miles 250 km 2 Maximum speed30 mph 48 km h 2 The first carriers the Bren Carrier and the Scout Carrier with specific roles entered service before the war but a single improved design that could replace these the Universal was introduced in 1940 The vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment mostly support weapons or as machine gun platforms Contents 1 Design and development 2 Production 3 Operational history 3 1 United Kingdom 3 2 Australia 3 3 Germany 4 Variants 4 1 Argentine 4 2 British 4 3 Australian 4 4 Canadian 4 5 American 4 6 German 4 7 Italian 4 8 Praying Mantis 5 Operators 5 1 Pre war Second World War period 5 2 Post war period 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External linksDesign and development editThe origins of the Universal Carrier family can be traced back generally to the Carden Loyd tankettes family which was developed in the 1920s and specifically the Mk VI tankette 4 In 1934 Vickers Armstrongs produced as a commercial venture a light tracked vehicle that could be used either to carry a machine gun or to tow a light field gun The VA D50 had an armored box at the front for driver and a gunner and bench seating at the back for the gun crew The War Office considered it as a possible replacement for their Vickers Light Dragon artillery tractors and took 69 as the Light Dragon Mark III 5 One was built as the Carrier Machine Gun Experimental Armoured carrying a machine gun and its crew The decision was made to drop the machine gun and its team and the next design had a crew of three driver and gunner in the front third crew member on the left in the rear and the right rear open for storage Fourteen of this design were built in mild steel as Carrier Machine Gun No 1 Mark 1 and entered service in 1936 Six were converted into pilot models for the Machine gun Carrier No 2 Cavalry Carrier and Scout Carrier designs the remainder were used for training 6 nbsp The sidevalve Ford engine was in the centre of the vehicle with the final drive at the rear The carrier put the driver and commander at the front sitting side by side the driver to the right The Ford V8 sidevalve engine with four speed gearbox was placed in the centre of the vehicle with the final drive a commercial Ford axle 7 at the rear The suspension and running gear were based on that used on the Vickers light tank series using Horstmann springs 8 Directional control was through a vertical steering wheel which pivoted about a horizontal axis Small turns moved the crosstube that carried the front road wheel bogies laterally warping the track so the vehicle drifted to that side Further movement of the wheel braked the appropriate track to give a tighter turn The hull in front of the commander s position jutted forward to give room for the Bren light machine gun or other armaments to fire through a simple slit To either side of the engine was an area in which passengers could ride or stores could be carried Initially there were several types of Carrier that varied slightly in design according to their purpose Medium Machine Gun Carrier the Vickers machine gun Bren Gun Carrier Scout Carrier and Cavalry Carrier The production of a single model came to be preferred and the Universal design appeared in 1940 this was the most widely produced of the carriers It differed from the previous models in that the rear section of the body had a rectangular shape with more space for the crew Production edit nbsp Australian built machine gun carrierProduction of carriers began in 1934 and ended in 1960 2 Before the Universal design was introduced the vehicles were produced by Aveling and Porter Bedford Vehicles Ford of Britain Morris Motors Limited the Sentinel Waggon Works and the Thornycroft company With the introduction of the Universal production in the UK was undertaken by Aveling Barford Ford Sentinel Thornycroft and Wolseley Motors By 1945 production amounted to approximately 57 000 of all models including some 2 400 early ones The Universal Carriers in different variants were also produced in allied countries Ford Motor Company of Canada manufactured about 29 000 vehicles known as the Ford C01UC Universal Carrier Smaller numbers of them were also produced in Australia about 5 000 where hulls were made in several places in Victoria and by South Australian Railways workshops in Adelaide South Australia About 1 300 were also produced in New Zealand Universal Carriers were manufactured in the United States of America for allied use with GAE and GAEA V 8 Ford engines 9 About 20 000 were produced Operational history editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it March 2010 The Universal Carrier was ubiquitous in all the theatres during the Second World War with British and Commonwealth armies 10 from the war in the East to the occupation of Iceland 11 Although the theory and policy was that the carrier was a fire power transport and the crew would dismount to fight practice differed It could carry machine guns anti tank rifles mortars infantrymen supplies artillery and observation equipment 10 United Kingdom edit nbsp A Universal Carrier of 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment catches air on manoeuvres Scotland 10 November 1942The seven mechanized divisional cavalry regiments in the British Expeditionary Force BEF in France during 1939 1940 were equipped with Scout Carriers 44 carriers and 28 light tanks in each regiment There were 10 Bren Carriers in each infantry battalion in the same period 12 The Reconnaissance Corps regiments which replaced the cavalry regiments in supporting Infantry divisions after 1940 were each equipped with 63 carriers along with 28 Humber Scout Cars Universal Carriers were issued to the support companies in infantry rifle battalions for carrying support weapons initially 10 13 21 by 1941 14 and up to 33 per battalion by 1943 15 A British armoured division of 1940 41 had 109 carriers each motor battalion had 44 16 nbsp British troops leap from their Universal Carrier during an exercise A British Carrier platoon originally had ten Universal Carriers with three carrier sections of three Universal Carriers each plus another Universal Carrier in the platoon HQ along with a 15 cwt GS truck Each Universal Carrier had a non commissioned officer NCO a rifleman and a driver mechanic One Universal Carrier in each section was commanded by a sergeant the other two by corporals All the Universal Carriers were armed with a Bren gun and one carrier in each carrier section also had a Boys anti tank rifle By 1941 the carrier platoon had increased in strength to contain four carrier sections one carrier in each carrier section also carried a 2 inch mortar By 1943 each Universal Carrier had a crew of four an NCO driver mechanic and two riflemen The Boys anti tank rifle was also replaced by the PIAT anti tank weapon The Universal Carrier s weapons could be fired from in or outside the carrier A carrier platoon had a higher number of light support weapons than a rifle company Carrier section composition after 1943 citation needed Task Rank Weapon NotesOrderly Private Sten Equipped with a motorcycleCarrier 1Commander Sergeant RifleDriver mechanic Private RifleGunner Private BrenRifleman Lance corporal Rifle No 38 Wireless setCarrier 2Commander Corporal RifleDriver mechanic Private RifleGunner Private BrenRifleman Private Rifle 2 inch mortar with 36 roundsCarrier 3Commander Corporal RifleDriver mechanic Private RifleGunner Private BrenRifleman Private Rifle and PIATTo allow the Universal to function as an artillery tractor in emergencies a towing attachment that could allow it to haul the Ordnance QF 6 pounder anti tank gun was added from 1943 Normally the Loyd Carrier which was also used as a general utility carrier acted as the tractor for the 6 pdr 1 In Motorised Infantry Battalions in BAOR British Army of the Rhine in the early 1950s the Universal was issued one per platoon carrying the Platoon Commander driver signaller and the 2 inch Mortar group Nos 1 amp 2 Australia edit Universal and the earlier Bren carriers were used by Australian Army units in the Western Desert campaign 17 Australian Universal Carriers were deployed to the Western Desert Egypt during August 1942 serving as command vehicles for the 9th Divisional Cavalry Regiment 18 Germany edit Captured Universal Carriers were used in a number of roles by German forces A total of around sixty Bren No 2 Carriers and Belgian Army Vickers Utility Tractors were converted into demolition vehicles Carrying a large explosive charge these would be driven up to enemy positions under remote control and detonated destroying both themselves and the target Twenty nine of both kinds were deployed in 1942 during the Siege of Sevastopol They achieved some success in destroying Soviet trenches and bunkers but a significant number were destroyed by artillery Others were disabled by land mines before reaching their target or were lost because of mechanical breakdowns A difficulty for the Germans using these foreign built vehicles was the lack of spare parts 19 Variants edit nbsp Bren Carrier No 2 The earlier carriers had much less armour than the Universal In this case only one side behind the driver protected with a sloping plate nbsp Universal Carrier Mk II nbsp Flamethrower equipped universal carrier at the Israeli Armored Corps museum in LatrunThe widespread production of the Carrier allowed for several variants to be developed manufactured and or used by different countries Argentine edit An attempted conversion to self propelled artillery consisting of a single T16 carrier fitted with a six Model 1968 recoilless gun mount was developed in the late 1960s or early 1970s citation needed British edit Carrier Machine Gun No 2 Introduced in 1937 20 Carrier Bren No 2 Mark I and Mark II Seating for three crew 21 Armour plate on front and left hand side only 20 Carrier Scout Mk 1 Carried a No 11 Wireless set 21 Armour plate on front and right hand side only 20 Carrier Cavalry Mk 1 Used for carrying personnel of Light tank regiments in Mobile Divisions A total of 50 were built by Nuffield discontinued with the reorganization of the Mobile Divisions into Armoured divisions 12 Seating was provided for six passengers on benches 21 Carrier Armoured Observation Post For carrying Royal Artillery observers under protection The machine gun position was fitted with an armoured shutter instead of gun slit Ninety five built in two marks Carrier Armoured 2 pounder 40 mm A Carrier Machine Gun converted to mount a 2 pdr gun with fixed armoured shield protecting the crew Carrier Armoured 6 pounder 57 mm Universal Mk I Initial model Universal Mk II Updated stowage and layout battery moved behind the divisional plate towing hitch added Welded waterproofed hull Crew of four 2 inch mortar or 4 inch smoke mortar beside gunner Spare wheel on front hull weighed 1 2 ton more than Mark I Universal Mk III Welded hull as Mark II modified air inlet and engine cover Wasp FT Transportable No 2 A flamethrower equipped variant using the Flame thrower Transportable No 2 The Mark I had a fixed flamethrower on the front of the vehicle fed from two fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 imperial gallons 450 L 1000 produced 17 The Mk II had the projector in the co driver s position The Mk IIC C for Canadian had a single 75 imperial gallons 340 L fuel tank on the rear of the vehicle outside the armour protection allowing a third crew member to be carried Many Wasp variants were fitted out at No 71 Factory in Stoke on Trent at the premises that after the war became Rists Wire and Cables No 71 Factory also repaired 20mm Hispano cannons during WW2 Australian edit nbsp An Australian 3 inch mortar carrierCarrier Machine Gun Local Pattern No 1 Also known as LP1 Carrier Aust Australian production similar to Bren carrier but welded and some minor differences 22 Universal Carrier MG Local Pattern No 2 Also known as LP2 Carrier Aust Australian built variant of the Universal Carrier Also produced in New Zealand Used 1938 1939 Ford commercial axles the 2A had 1940 Ford truck axles 2 pounder Anti tank Gun Carrier Aust or Carrier 2 pdr Tank Attack A heavily modified and lengthened LP2 carrier with a fully traversable QF 2 pounder 40 mm anti tank gun mounted on a platform at the rear and the engine moved to the front left of the vehicle Stowage was provided for 112 rounds of 2pdr ammunition 200 were produced and used for training 23 3 inch Mortar Carrier Aust A design based on the 2 Pounder Carrier with a 3 inch 76 mm mortar mounted in place of the 2 pounder Designed to enable the mortar to have 360 degree traverse and to be fired either from the vehicle or dismounted 400 were produced and were ultimately sent as military aid to the Nationalist Chinese Army 23 Canadian edit nbsp Windsor carrier Overloon Museum Carrier Universal No 3 Mk I certain differences otherwise similar to British model Mk II certain differences otherwise similar to British model Mk II Carrier 2 pdr Equipped Canadian modification of Mark I and II to mount 2 pdr gun 213 used for training 22 Wasp Mk II Canadian version of the Wasp flamethrower variant Windsor Carrier Canadian development with a longer chassis extended by 76 cm 30 in and an additional wheel in the aft bogie American edit nbsp T16 carrierAmerican production of the Universal followed the same design as the British Marks I to III 20 Carrier Universal No 2 Mark I Ford GAEA engine Carrier Universal No 2A Mark I Ford GAE engine Carrier Universal No 2 Mark II Ford GAE engine Carrier Universal No 2A Mark II Ford GAEA engine Carrier Universal No 2 Mark III Ford GAE engine Carrier Universal No 2A Mark III Ford GAEA engineT 16 The Carrier Universal T16 Mark I initially Cargo Carrier T16 was the result of US experimentation in 1942 to improve on the Universal for British use and for US in the Pacific war 20 It was a significantly improved vehicle based upon those built by Ford of Canada manufactured under Lend Lease by Ford in the United States from March 1943 to 1945 At 155 in 3 9 m 24 it was longer than the Universal with an extra road wheel on the rear bogie making for a pair of full Horstmann dual wheel suspension units per side the engine was a Mercury division 239 version GAU370 of the Ford V8 delivering the same power Instead of the steering wheel controlling the combination brake warp mechanism the T 16 used track brake steering operated by levers two for each side The British were supplied with over 3 200 in 1944 1945 but it was considered mechanically unreliable and had less carrying capacity than the Universal 20 During the war it was chiefly used by Canadian forces as an artillery tractor After the war was used by Argentine Swiss 300 and Dutch forces German edit 2 cm Flak 38 auf Fahrgestell Bren e Single barrel German 2 cm Flak 38 cannon mounted over the engine compartment of a captured Bren carrier 3 7 cm Pak auf Fahrgestell Bren e Captured carrier of 1940 reused by the Germans and fitted with a 3 7 cm Pak 36 anti tank gun Panzerjager Bren 731 e Bren carriers captured by the Germans and fitted with a transport rack for three Panzerschreck anti tank rocket launchers the weapons were not fired from the Bren gun carrier only transported 25 Italian edit In 1942 at the request of the Italian Army Regio Esercito Fiat produced a prototype carrier copied from a captured Universal Carrier it was known as the Fiat 2800 or CVP 4 It is uncertain whether production vehicles were manufactured citation needed Bren carriers captured by the Italians in the field were often fitted with Breda M37 machine guns 26 Praying Mantis edit nbsp Praying Mantis prototype at The Tank MuseumThe Praying Mantis came from an attempt to produce a low silhouette vehicle that could still fire over obstacles A one man design based on Carden Loyd suspension was not adopted but the inventor was encouraged to design a two man version This version was built in 1943 based on the Universal Carrier The hull was replaced with an enclosed metal box structure with enough room for a driver and a gunner lying prone This box pivoting from the rear could be elevated At the top end was a machine gun turret with two Bren guns The intention was to drive the Mantis up to a wall or hedgerow elevate the gun and fire over the obstacle from a position of safety It was rejected after trials in 1944 27 An example of the Mantis is preserved in The Tank Museum Operators editMany variants of the British Universal Carrier have been fielded and used by the armed forces of the following countries amongst many others nbsp Universal Carrier 13th Frontier Force Rifles British Indian Army in Italy 13 December 1943 nbsp Soviet Red Army soldiers travelling on a British Universal Carrier received from the UK under the Lend Lease programme near Boulevard of Carol I in the Romanian capital of Bucharest in August 1944 Pre war Second World War period edit nbsp Australia 16 nbsp Belgium used by in exile Belgian forces in the Middle Eastern regions during the war after the country was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany in 1940 citation needed nbsp Canada 28 nbsp China 1500 UCs supplied by Australia during the war 16 with a sizeable number of these about 400 being 3 inch mortar carrier versions citation needed The pro Japanese Collaborationist Chinese Army also received carriers captured in Singapore by the Japanese 29 nbsp Czechoslovakia Mk Is used by Czechoslovak battalion 11 in the Middle East Mk Is Mk IIs Mk IIIs 30 Mortars used by Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade in UK and Western Europe 15 UCs Mk II received from the USSR served in I Corps of the Czechoslovak Army in exile on the Eastern Front citation needed nbsp France used by Free French Forces 31 nbsp Nazi Germany by the German Wehrmacht which operated a small number of carriers captured mainly from the UK nbsp Japan captured vehicles many of them seized after the capture of Singapore nbsp Greece fielded by Free Greek troops following the country s fall to Nazi German occupation in the Middle East like the exiled Belgian military forces 11 nbsp Azad Hind The Indian National Army received carriers captured by Japan after the fall of Singapore 29 nbsp Ireland 26 Mk I carriers received in 1940 and 200 Mk II carriers from 1943 to 1945 32 Still in service in the 1960s 33 nbsp Kingdom of Italy a few captured UCs used by the Regio Esercito unit of the Italian Army 34 and one locally produced copy the Fiat 2800 nbsp Dutch government in exile used by the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade 35 nbsp Poland operated by the in exile Polish Armed Forces in the West 36 nbsp Portugal the Portuguese Army received more than 178 universal carriers from 1942 nbsp United Kingdom the main operator in WWII nbsp United States 57 UCs en route for Canadian troop units in Hong Kong were in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded both Hong Kong and the Philippines with 40 UCs taken over and operated by the US 1st Provisional Tank Group 37 nbsp Soviet Union received 200 16 before the end of 1941 and 2 560 Universal Carriers and similar Loyd Carriers starting from then until the end of WWII in 1945 38 nbsp Thailand 118 UCs operated in 1944 possibly supplied covertly by the UK citation needed nbsp Yugoslav Partisans 39 nbsp New Zealand 40 Post war period edit nbsp A British Indian soldier guarding a captured significantly modified Universal Carrier used by Indonesian TKR Laut 41 forces during the Battle of Surabaya in November 1945 42 nbsp Afghanistan 43 nbsp Argentina 250 including T 16s supplied by the UK between 1946 and 1950 44 nbsp Biafra very likely obtained from a French trader with some converted and modified locally with extra armour 45 nbsp Ceylon former British stocks which were retired from frontline service in the 1960s nbsp Costa Rica nbsp Denmark some were armed with a M40 recoilless rifle 33 nbsp Egypt 33 possibly provided by departing British forces from the Middle East nbsp France small numbers used by the French expeditionary corps the CEFEO fighting in Indochina 46 nbsp Indonesia small numbers of ex Japanese stocks were captured and used by the People s Security Army during the Battle of Surabaya 42 nbsp Israel 33 received many from withdrawing British troops in Palestine aside from buying them from the scrapyards of various European countries after WWII and capturing them from Egypt between their conflicts nbsp Kuwait former British stocks which were retired from frontline service in 1961 citation needed nbsp Federal Republic of Germany the Bundeswehr received 100 ex British UCs in 1956 33 nbsp The Netherlands a number operated following WWII possibly ex British UCs especially in the independence war in their former colony of Indonesia the Dutch East Indies between 1945 and 1949 as part of the Indonesian National Revolution A small number were lost and subsequently taken over by the new Indonesian Republic s military nbsp Switzerland used and fielded predominantly US built T16 versions of the Universal Carrier up until possibly the early 1960s citation needed Gallery edit nbsp A Wasp flamethrower tank on display in the Canadian War Museum nbsp An Australian 2 pounder anti tank gun UC variant nbsp A British Army Universal Carrier leads some German prisoners of war into a Belgian town nbsp Australians driving Bren Carriers to Bardia Libya January 1941See also editC2P Kettenkrad German motorcycle based half track Komsomolets armored tractor Lorraine 37L Loyd Carrier M29 Weasel Raupenschlepper Ost TKSNotes edit a b c d e Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p 124 a b c d e McNab 2003 p 142 Fletcher 2005 p 5 Fletcher 2005 p 3 A larger Vickers Medium Dragon was used for guns up to 0 pounder Instruction book 1939 p7 Instruction book 1939 p20 Britain s Bren Gun Carrier WWIIvehicles com 10 May 1940 Retrieved 11 March 2010 Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p 119 120 a b Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p 105 a b Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p 113 a b Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p page needed An Infantry Rifle Battalion ref II 1931 12B 3 notified in Army Council Instructions 6 April 1938 An Infantry Battalion Higher Establishment ref II 1931 12F 2 notified in Army Council Instructions 4 June 1941 An Infantry Battalion ref II 233 2 notified in Army Council Instructions 19 May 1943 effective date 30 April 1943 a b c d Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p 119 a b Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p 118 Image Western Desert Egypt 08 AUG 1942 Command Vehicle of 9th Australian Divisional Cavalry Regiment sending and receiving messages Australian War Memorial Retrieved 23 January 2022 H R Everett Michael Toscano 13 November 2015 Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II MIT Press p 474 ISBN 978 0 262 33176 0 a b c d e f Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 a b c Instruction book 1939 p24 a b Chamberlain amp Crow 1970 p 120 a b Cecil 1992 p page needed TM9 2800 1943 p44 WW II German Infantry Anti Tank Weapons Page 3 Panzerschreck Battistelli Pier Paolo Crociani Piero Italian Soldier in North Africa 1941 1943 Warrior 169 Osprey p 62 Fletcher p47 Fletcher 2005 p 41 a b Jowett Philip S 2004 Rays of the Rising Sun Armed Forces of Japan s Asian Allies 1931 45 Volume 1 China and Manchukuo Helion amp Company Limited p 76 ISBN 9781906033781 Takticky vycvik Universal Carrier VHK Erika Brno z s La bataille de Bir Hakeim The Battle of Bir Hakeim cheminsdememoire gouv fr in French Ministere de la defense Retrieved 28 August 2018 Tracol Xavier October 2010 Le Blindorama L Irlande 1919 1938 Batailles amp Blindes in French No 39 Caraktere pp 4 5 ISSN 1765 0828 a b c d e Fletcher 2005 p 42 Battistelli Pier Paolo 2013 Italian Soldier in North Africa 1941 43 London Osprey Publishing p 62 ISBN 978 1 7809 6855 1 Mahe Yann June 2011 Le Blindorama Les Pays Bas 1939 1945 Batailles amp Blindes in French No 43 Caraktere pp 4 7 ISSN 1765 0828 Fletcher 2005 p 38 Fletcher 2005 p 37 Russia British Empire War Assistance Parliamentary Debates Hansard vol 421 cc2513 9 16 April 1946 Thers Alexandre February 2013 Le Blindorama La Yougoslavie 1930 1945 Batailles amp Blindes in French No 53 Caraktere pp 4 7 ISSN 1765 0828 Fletcher 2005 p 17 Abbreviation of Tentara Keamanan Rakyat Laut Indonesian People s Security Army Naval Branch predecessor of the Indonesian Navy a b Haryadi 2019 p 121 Zaloga Steven Luczak Wojciech Beldam Barry 1992 Armor of the Afghanistan War Armor 2009 Concord Publications p 3 ISBN 978 9623619097 Tracol Xavier October 2011 Blindorama L Argentine 1926 1945 Batailles et Blindes in French No 45 Caraktere pp 4 7 ISSN 1765 0828 Jowett Philip 2016 Modern African Wars 5 The Nigerian Biafran War 1967 70 Men at Arms 507 Oxford Osprey Publishing p 24 ISBN 978 1472816092 B L M E O IMG 11 0 a 11 111 in French References editBishop Chris 2002 The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1 500 Weapons Systems Including Tanks Small Arms Warplanes Artillery Ships and Submarines Sterling Publishing Company Inc ISBN 1 58663 762 2 Cecil Michael K 1992 Australian Military Equipment Profiles vol 2 Local Pattern Carriers 1939 to 1945 Australian Military Equipment Profiles ISBN 0 646 12600 8 Chamberlain Peter Crow Duncan 1970 No 14 Carriers AFV Profile Profile Publishing Chamberlain Peter Ellis Chris 2001 1969 British and American Tanks of World War Two The complete illustrated history of British American and Commonwealth tanks 1933 1945 Cassell amp Company Fletcher David 1989 The Great Tank Scandal British Armour in the Second World War Part 1 HMSO ISBN 978 0 11 290460 1 Fletcher David 2005 Universal Carrier 1936 48 The Bren Gun Carrier Story New Vanguard 110 illustrated by Tony Bryan Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84176 813 7 Harris J P 1995 Men Ideas and Tanks British Military Thought and Armoured Forces 1903 1939 Manchester University Press ISBN 978 0 7190 4814 2 Haryadi Yosafat Robert 2019 Sejarah Kavaleri Korps Marinir in Indonesian Surabaya Penerbit Karunia ISBN 978 979 9039 97 2 McNab Chris 2003 Military Vehicles 300 of the World s Most Effective Military Vehicles Grange Books ISBN 1 84013 539 5 Tucker Spencer 2004 Tanks An Illustrated History of Their Impact ABC CLIO ISBN 1 57607 995 3 The War Office 1939 Carriers Machine Gun No 1 Mark I and No 2 Mark I Bren No 1 Mark I and No 2 Marks 1 and II Cavalry Mark I and Scout Mark I Instruction Book HMSO Further reading editWatson Nigel 2007 Universal Carriers Volume 1 Dragon Armoured MG Cavalry Scout AOP Bren Lloyd Universal Watson Books ISBN 978 0955600906 Watson Nigel 2008 Universal Carriers Volume 2 Universal Mortar Medium Machine Gun T16 Windsor Local Pattern Oxford Cambridge Flamethrowers Armoured Snowmobile Variants Watson Books ISBN 978 0955600913 Watson Nigel 2011 Universal Carriers Volume 3 Drawing Archive Variants Parts Hull Details Restored Project Vehicles amp Wrecks Veteran Experiences Watson Books ISBN 978 0 9556009 2 0 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Universal Carrier Universal Carrier production and technical data mapleleafup net The Ford Universal Carrier diggerhistory info Bren Carrier Britain s Carriers at wwiivehicles com Eighth Army Bren Gun carrier in the Middle East 1941 photo Bren Gun carrier with German Machine Gun in Gazala Middle East 1941 photo Assembling Bren Gun carriers in New Zealand photo Restored Bren Gun carrier being driven by a collector in Australia video Images of ex Argentinean T16 carriers for sale retrieved 2014 04 05 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Universal Carrier amp oldid 1176800209, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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