| Place | Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Derna |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM20173 |
| Collection type | Technology |
| Object type | Firearm |
| Physical description | Steel, Wood |
| Location | Main Bld: World War 2 Gallery: Gallery 1 - Mediterranean: Greece-Libya |
| Place made | Italy |
| Date made | 1939 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Breda Model 30 Light Machine Gun
Description
Breda Model 30 Light Machine Gun. Tubular blued steel receiver and an air cooled barrel that has disc fins for half the length near the breech and a cone muzzle. A 'T' bar handle is attached at the point of balance on the barrel. The receiver is marked with FUCILE MITR MOD.30 over the serial number and BREDA-ROMA-A.XVII. An oil pump is fitted to the top of the action to lubricate rounds prior to chambering. It has a slotted wooden butt with a spring loaded shoulder clip and wood pistol grip. Adjustable bipod legs fold back under the barrel. The gun feeds from a detachable box magazine on the right hand side that can be folded forward for reloading. A green leather sling is fitted to the weapon.
History / Summary
The Breda Modello 30 was the standard light machine gun of the Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito) during the Second World War (1939-1945). This particular weapon was captured at Derna in Libya by members of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in January 1941 and brought to Australia for examination. After the war it was gifted to the Australian War Memorial collection by the Department of Defence.