Bren Gun
In the First World War infantry units began using small machine guns mounted on bipods. In the Second World War Light Machine Guns were more generally available, and more portable. The tactical concept was that each rifle section would have an LMG for additional firepower. Some LMGs could also be fitted onto a tripod, with the increased stability giving more accurate fire at longer ranges. The name &quot;Bren&quot; resulted from combining &quot;Brno&quot; and &quot;Enfield&quot;, the factories in Czechoslovakia and Great Britain where the weapon was developed. It became the standard LMG of the Canadian army. The .303 calibre Bren's practical rate of fire was about ten rounds a second, but fired in bursts of three to five rounds. It was mostly fired from the ground, mounted on the bipod that formed part of the weapon, with an effective range of just under 550 metres. On a tripod it could deliver fire out to almost one and a half kilometres. Its relatively slow rate of fire was not seen as a disadvantage, while its reliability and accuracy gained the Bren a reputation as the best light machine gun of World War Two.

A CANADIAN BREN GUN

Lee-Enfield No 4 Rifle
Before the Canadian army went to Sicily the soldiers had been re-equipped with an updated version of the reliable Lee-Enfield .303 calibre rifle, whose basic design went back to 1896. The Lee-Enfield had the smoothest bolt-action ever made. At the start of the First World War Brtitish troops fired so quickly in sequence that the enemy thought they were facing a machine gun. The No 4 was modified only slightly from the Mark III employed in the First World War and at the start of the Second.

CANADIANS LEE-ENFIELD NO 4 303 RIFLE

M1928A1 Thompson Submachine Gun
In the Second World War infantry firepower was boosted by the submachine gun, a weapon first introduced into combat by the Germans in 1918. The SMG delivered a continuous stream of pistol bullets as long as the trigger was pressed and the magazine lasted. Effective ranges were short - a hundred yards was usually a maximum for accurate fire. Most armies introduced the SMG in limited numbers, distributing a few around an infantry unit to increase firepower, otherwise reserving them for command personnel or specialists whose duties made it awkward to carry a rifle. The .45 calibre &quot;Tommy Gun&quot; was conceived during the First World War as a &quot;trench sweeper&quot;. Coming on the market in 1920, its early enthusiasts included the guerrillas of the Irish Republican Army, and the gunmen of prohibition era mobs. Just before the Second World War the British army turned down an opportunity to buy what it termed &quot;gangster weapons.&quot; The realities of combat in the new conflict overrode these exaggerated niceties and the readily available Thompson was quickly adopted. Troops liked the Thompson, though it was a bit heavy for field use. Bullets rattled in the original drum magazine - not a good idea on patrols - so a stick magazine was substituted. The military also abandoned the forward pistol grip. The version shown here is the M1928A1 military model, which front line Canadian troops used in Italy.