Bren Gun Carrier
Britain’s Universal War Machine
By Robert Jackson
ISBN: 978-1526746436
(Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2019) – £16.99
Bren Gun Carrier: Britain’s Universal War Machine is a broadly interesting and engaging piece of work. It is intended more for “modelmakers and enthusiasts” than for wargamers, but all reference books have the potential to be invaluable sources, and Jackson stays clear of the sniffy contempt sometimes displayed toward those of us who model for gaming purposes. After a neat potted history of this plucky little utilitarian runaround, Jackson talks us through a range of its key variants: no small task for a vehicle that saw so many uses and iterations. Then we’re treated to some fairly handsome digital line drawings (credited to Michael Roof), with clear annotations. I found this section refreshingly handy.
In the centre of the book are 32 fullcolour pages, but it doesn’t quite burst into colour. Sadly, the first images in the “Camouflage and Markings” section are any markings on it is the captured carrier in German use. This is an obvious and unfortunate oversight, as painting clues are naturally what many of us look for in colour reference works.
