Infantry Mortars 1915 - 1945

Book excerpt: This book is about the development of the modern infantry mortar, from its origin during the First World War, through its evolution during the inter-war years, to its acceptance as an indispensable support weapon for infantry during the Second World War. The mortar is defined as a piece of ordnance that fires its projectile at angles between 45 degrees and 90 degrees of elevation. They are indirect fire weapons with either smooth bore or rifled barrels and can vary from simple tube weapons to complex artillery pieces. Medium mortars are classified here as mortars ranging in calibre from 81mm up to 82mm. This work focuses on the best known medium mortars within the stipulated time-frame. The requirements of trench warfare during the First World War led to the British development of the Stokes Three inch mortar, which then became the prototype for the infantry support mortar. Currently, and since at least the end of WW2, mortars have usually been defined by their calibre into light, medium or heavy types. The British Army adopted the Stokes Three inch mortar in 1916, and this mortar calibre of a nominal 81mm was the origin for the medium mortar. The concept of close support for infantry began to evolve during WW1. The mortar proved to be a simple and practical way of achieving this and a lot of armies began to equip their infantry with what later became known as infantry mortars. The 81mm nominal calibre of the Stokes mortar was generally adopted by most armies as a suitable calibre for this weapon.