Universal bren gun carrier

[Francis Lafrance]

What the difference canadian bren gun carrier mk1 or mk11

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Francis Lafrance

What the difference canadian bren gun carrier mk1 or mk11

Mk.1 was the original patterned after the UK version. Mk.II was a mortar carrier. Mk.II* was the Canadian version of the 'Welsh Guard' stowage carrier.

[Lynn Eades]

Francis, I know nothing about you, so firstly welcome to the forum. It is great to see another person here with an interest in carriers.
I will give you a bit of a run down so that you can more accurately describe the carrier that you wish to ask about.
It is fine to call it a Bren carrier (this is what we all do) if you were only asking a Canadian audience. This forum reaches out to the world and there are a range of carriers called "Bren Carriers".
Early on, there were Machine gun carriers, Cavalry carriers, Scout carriers, Bren carriers, Armoured O.P. carriers after which the British and then the Canadians built Universal carriers. (U.C.)
Canada entered the carrier building with the Universal carrier (MkI*)
These are what you are referring to.
Among the pre Canadian carriers, most were built as MkI and later MkII variants.
Mostly the change in Mark is a change in stowage and the same applies to the U.C.s with Canada building quite a range of variations.

A British built carrier has no star, as in "U.C, No1, MkI".
A Canadian" built carrier would be a "U.C. No.2,MkI*"
The relevant difference is the "*".
I think this is an across the board thing and also relates to arms as in.303 rifle, No3 MkI*
Among the various U.C. models (e.g. Mortar carriers or Armoured O.P. carriers) there are MkI, MkIIs, and MkIIIs.

The differences between a Canadian MkI* and a MkII* add up to quite a few things. I know some, but I would wait for Micheal R. to chime in. He knows the answers better than me, and I will likely start telling fibs.

I hope that clarifies a few things for you.