gunsmart777
Active Member
Hi
Anyone have Pics / Drawings / Paint Colours of the WW1 Stokes 4inch Gas Mortar
much appreciated
Anyone have Pics / Drawings / Paint Colours of the WW1 Stokes 4inch Gas Mortar
much appreciated
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WW1 Stokes Gas Mortar
- Thread starter gunsmart777
- Start date
gunsmart777
Active Member
Hi after more research have now found we only had 2000 4 inch Mortars in France / Belgium
the Gas shells being the more rare to find
the Gas shells being the more rare to find
The number 2000 seems unlikely. Recovery evidence at both French and Belgian sites over time seems significantly higher than that, and that is only duds/abandoned items. I would consider your source material and look to see if it is either reliable and/or complete.
Ministry of Munitions Statistics record 25 4-inch Stokes Mortars arriving in France in March 1916, building to a peak of 326 in February 1917, and reducing to around 200 through 1918. (The number recorded in Egypt, Salonica and Mesopotamia from May 1918 is four.)
Total of 4-inch Stokes Mortar Bombs supplied to France up to November 1918 is 663,782. (The number supplied to the Middle East 10,500.)
Total of 4-inch Stokes Mortar Bombs supplied to France up to November 1918 is 663,782. (The number supplied to the Middle East 10,500.)
Presumably the 2000 figure refers to 'tubes' rather than bombs although the total WW1 manufacture of 4-inch Stokes Trench Howitzers is given as 1123 in the History of the Ministry of Munitions. 4-inch Stokes special ammunition (ie Gas) manufacture was about 620,000 bombs according to the history.
Edit: Posts crossed. Sorry Tom, I was adding up whilst you were writing
Edit: Posts crossed. Sorry Tom, I was adding up whilst you were writing
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Tubes would make much more sense. Still, for a WWI mortar, would 650 rounds per tube seem reasonable? And what role does the US variant play? Did we field any during the war?
Crowell's report would probably have it, but no time to look right now.
Crowell's report would probably have it, but no time to look right now.
The total build was to provide for issue to units and reserve, and cover operational losses. At the end of March 1918, audit of losses due to the German offensive showed there should have been 203 4-inch mortars with units in France, 74 available as replacements in France, and 27 available from the February factory output at Home - clearly many mortars had been lost, destroyed or otherwise written off since introduction in 1915.
Using a figure of 200 front line mortars (June 1917 to November 1918) could imply 3,000+ rounds fired per crew, but even this is bit simplistic. The statistics of rounds fired for each of the four 4-inch mortar companies of 5th Special Bn, Royal Engineers, would be more meaningful; for example Foulkes describes No.1 Company with 40 mortars firing 2,300 rounds (thermit then gas) in 15 minutes at the beginning of a bombardment on 1 December 1917. So only 60 rounds per mortar from one company on that day, yet that could be regarded as a fairly substantial stonk.
Using a figure of 200 front line mortars (June 1917 to November 1918) could imply 3,000+ rounds fired per crew, but even this is bit simplistic. The statistics of rounds fired for each of the four 4-inch mortar companies of 5th Special Bn, Royal Engineers, would be more meaningful; for example Foulkes describes No.1 Company with 40 mortars firing 2,300 rounds (thermit then gas) in 15 minutes at the beginning of a bombardment on 1 December 1917. So only 60 rounds per mortar from one company on that day, yet that could be regarded as a fairly substantial stonk.
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gunsmart777
Active Member
Bonnex Thank you it was the Tubes / Launchers i was discussing