I came across an interesting thing while I was watching a Youtube video of the German advance towards Dunkirk. There is a clear picture of a German infantryman carrying a BAR. I never realized that these weapons must have been issued? The Brit squad weapon was the Bren, so there was no way it could have been captured. Any of you folks got any information on this?
Looks more like a Czech ZB vz 26 to me. Ones in German service were called MG26(t) ZB vz. 26 - Wikipedia The ZB26 » Dunkirk 1940 - The Before, The Reality, The Aftermath Larger image from the video . You can see the pistol grip by his shoulder. Magazine is not fitted.
The Barrow gang preferred the BAR to the Thompson IIRC. Fun to shoot. I think the Germans would have appreciated it if they'd had any.
Yes, Czech ZB series. I seem to recall reading somewhere that many were issued to the Waffen SS. The Czechs had a pretty good arms industry, and many Czech types were recognized as substitute standard by the Germans. It helped that Czech rifles and MGs were in 7.92mm.
I seem to recall that Fabrique National in Belgium made a version of the BAR prior to ww2.Is it likely that captured stocks were used by the Germans. I have no sources for this,just a dim recollection of reading this.Perhaps someone with a bit more knowledge could confirm or deny this.
Interesting observation. The FN version was in 7.92 (8mm Mauser) so I'd think any captured specimens would have been issued to *somebody* in the German army. .
Yes, FN made the gun as the Model 30. The Belgian Army took it in 7.65mm and some were also sold to China and I think Ethiopia in 7.92mm. The Colt Company, which held the US commercial rights, licensed BAR production to the Poles, who made their own version as the Wz 28 in 7.92mm. Both the Model 30 and the Wz 28 received German designations after they were taken into the Kraut inventory, leMG 127(b) and leMG 154 (p) respectively. I am not certain how much use the Germans made of either of them, but they would probably would have preferred the Polish BAR since it was in the standard 7.92mm caliber.