When was the Bren first used in action ?

[pongo]

Has anyone got any idea when the Bren was fired in anger by British troops for the fist time,Just i was reading an article today about a British soldier who was decorated for bravery whilst using a Bren in action in Palestine in 1938 and i thought this might have been the first time.If anyone is interested i will put details of this event on the Forum.

Pongo

[Kev]

Come on Pongo ,hurry up and lets have a look ! ;D

[britplumber]

Lieutenant Colonel D G St J Radcliffe
The Regimental Secretary writes:
Colonel Derry Radcliffe died on the 12th April 2001 and there was a Service of Thanksgiving in Romsey Abbey on the 26th April which was very well attended by his many friends. In the words of son Charles "He died as he had lived with dignity and charm."

Derry was born in Exmouth on the 16 November 1917 and after Uppingham and Sandhurst was commissioned into the Regiment and posted to the 1st Bn which in 1938 went to Palestine where he was awarded the Military Cross for bravery in action at Nablus.

'At about 16.45 hours, on the 14th December, 1938, a road reconnaissance patrol of two sections, under 2nd Lieut. Radcliffe, was returning to Nablus when it was heavily fired on from the hills on either side of the road near the village of Anabta. Three men and the Bren gun, in the rear truck, were hit straight away. The leading truck then stopped and 2nd Lieut Radcliffe and L/Corpl. McConnell led a section under heavy fire to the area from which this seemed to be directed. After an advance of about 600 yards, 2nd Lieut Radcliffe and L/Corpl. McConnell found themselves, with two other men, ahead of the section. The Arabs in front were withdrawing but were being covered by the fire of Arabs on the flank. Twelve of these were located, and L/Corpl. McConnell was about to take the section round and outflank them when he was hit twice, almost instantaneusly, and killed."

Special Orders of the Day

On the day after L/Corpl. McConnell's death, the following letter was received from the Commander of the 14th Infantry Brigade:

"1. I should be glad if you would congratulate 2nd Lieut. Radcliffe and the N.C.O.'s and men under his command on their action - and the instinctive fighting spirit it revealed - on the occasion of the small action revealed by the report referred to above.

2. The action of 2nd Lieut. Radcliffe, UCorpl. Peacock, the late L/Corpl. McConnell, L/Aircraftsman Coleby and the men with them seems to have been highly commendable; and I have great pleasure in calling the Divisional Commander's attention to it.

3. I would take this opportunity of expressing to Major A.E. Robinson, and to all the rank and file under him and attached to the Battalion, my very great appreciation of the splendid work the Battalion is now constantly doing and of the excellent results it is producing."

He went to war with the 1st Bn and served in France, Norway, Sicily and Italy and was Mentioned in Despatches in 1945 in which year he attended the Staff College. Various staff appointments followed in Singapore and Norway in between which he commanded the Depot in Richmond from 1953-55.

In 1957 he became Second in Command of the 1st Bn in Hong Kong and it was the following year that I first met one of the most mercurial of men. Derry and Jean were the first married couple to invite me to dinner on joining the 1st Bn and a friendship was born that lasted till his death and still continues with Jean whom he married in 1940, the sister of a brother officer, John Oldfield.

After early retirement in 1961 Derry became the Estate Manager for Compton Manor in Hampshire and lived in Romsey. He was a brilliant humorist and mimic and even at sombre occasions he often had me convulsed with laughter. He was also an outstanding linguist who spoke French, German, Norwegian and Spanish amongst others.

Our condolences are extended to his widow and family on their great loss. Derry Radcliffe was a really first rate chap and all who knew him will miss him greatly.

[pongo]

It must have been another event in Palestine i read about ,I will post it on Thursday as i left the article at my friends house ,from what i can remember reading the guy in the article returned fire with a Bren killing several Arabs and he was wounded in the head when an enemy bullet ricocheted of the Bren and hit him in the head,I think he was in the Green Howard's.

[pongo]

Palestine 1938

Although a native of Bishop Auckland,Clarence Peathingy joined the Coldstream Guards in 1928 largely because of his hight and served with the regiment on public duties for almost 6 years.After a short spell as a civilian he joined the Green Howard's in 1936 and stayed with this Regiment until the end of 1956,serving in Palestine,France,Norway,India,Persia,Iraq,Sicily,Italy,Germany,Sudan,Egypt and Malaya.
Lance Corporal Peacock's first gallant action took place in Palestine just before dark on the 14th of December 1938 he was commanding a section returning to camp in a vehicle column on the Nablus-Tul Karm road.The small line of trucks was brought to a sudden halt by heavy rifle fire at close range.Peathingy immediately opened fire with his Bren gun and raked the ambush party,but not before his gun was hit by a bullet,which ricocheted and badly grazed his head.
However he continued to fire with great coolness and accuracy,with complete disregard for his own safety,although streaming with blood,until the ambush party broke and retreated.For his gallantry Peathingy was awarded the Military Medal.Lofty Peathingy died age 47 on April the 8th 1958 of a rare blood disease.If anyone can find an earlier account of a Bren being Fired in anger i would be interested to hear about it .

Pongo

[britplumber]

Agh, it the same action but 2 diffrent account and people!

[Kev]

For 'Peathingy' read Peac0ck.

Looks like if you write c0ck it is auto changed to thingy !

Only way to get round it is to use a zero instead of an 'o'

Both named (Radcliffe and Peac0ck) men involved and decorated in the same action.

You pipped me to it Brit !

[Tim]

Interesting to read that the gun was reportedly hit in its own right but continued to function, with the galant assistance of Lcpl peacock of course

[britplumber]

Ok so now we need to look for a Bren mk1, serial number upto about A7000 with a bullet strike to it some where....... Shouldnt take to long!!!!!!!!