What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Vickers 'K' Drum magazine Chest

Picture1.jpg Hi, this is my first post on here. I'm researching the LRDG Chevrolet 1533X2 trucks used in the desert campaign. This photo shows a well prepared Patrol of South Rhodesian troopers from S1 Patrol in September 1942. All the trucks have the same box on the running board. I believe its a Chest for 10 x 100 round Vickers 'K' gun drum magazines. It is in front of the standard Chevrolet air compressor connector (just below and in front of the passenger door frame) that was standard on all these trucks, and its believed that the airline was connected, feed through a hole in the box and stored in the front of the chest for rapid access and use. Can anyone confirm the identity of this chest? I believe they are very similar to later Bren gun drum magazine chests. Does anyone have details, drawing or dimensions of this chest please? Many thanks.
 
There was a Vickers GO magazines chest (for 10 mags) on eBay a couple of weeks ago. I can’t find it now, even on an advanced search so maybe eBay pulled and deleted it due to the words used in the description.

The Bren speed drums chest held four drum mags, a holder (that mounts across the top of the box) and winder for tensioning the magazines, and an adaptor to fit the Bren gun. The Bren drums are bigger than K mags because of the extension that fits into the Bren gun.
 
c3.jpgc2.jpgc1.jpg
I have a drawing for the Bren 10 mag chest, but its low resolution and details/dimensions are unreadable. I was hoping that someone had a better copy. I also have a photo of the Vickers K version. The differences are unclear when comparing.
 
Top