Tag Archives: Mills bomb

Bren & Mills

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Offical caption: Gunner J. Hinchcliffe, of Sheffield, 30 years old, and upholsterer before the war, setting out on a “recce” patrol in the Dunkirk perimeter, 3 March 1945. The Bren Gunner is assigned to 12 Platoon, D Company, 5th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) (600th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery).

Taken by SGT. C.H. Hewitt, No. 5 Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit. Via IWM B 15107

Besides Hinchcliffe’s Bren gun recce rifle (!) he carries a couple of Mills bombs for those up-close and personal moments.

Although an RA regiment, the 600th, originally formed as the 43rd Garrison Regiment, saw a good bit of ground combat in Northwest Europe in 1944-45 and left behind the graves on the Continent to prove it.

A Smoke and a Read

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105 years ago. February 1918. Offical caption: A Canadian soldier enjoys a few minutes with the Canadian Daily Record (Un soldat canadien prenant une pause, s’apprêtant à feuilleter le Canadian Daily Record).”

Note his SMLE .303 to Sergent’s left, a Mills Bomb and electric torch by his pillow for repelling trench-raiding stosstruppen, a gas mask and bayonet eternally at the ready; and a kettle and water can by his rope bed.

Department of National Defence. Library and Archives Canada, PA-002507

According to Veterans Affairs Canada, more than 650,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in The Great War– big numbers considering the country had a population in 1914 of just under 8 million. Canada suffered a staggering 66,000 killed and more than 172,000 wounded in the conflict.