Gallery Title
Gallery Title
Weapon - Japanese light mortar
Accession Number NWHRM : 1265
Description
A Japanese light mortar. Mortars fire shells (called mortar bombs) at a steep angle, allowing them to fall ahead of the enemy. This Japanese 50mm mortar has a serial number 98872 and would be muzzle loaded with a type 89 shell and fired by a lanyard. Range was determined by how far the firing pin was screwed into the barrel, which is set by the movement of a slider on the marked scale.
Read MoreWeapon - Japanese light mortar
The Japanese mortar is an example of the miniature artillery a platoon could control directly. Mistranslations of Japanese instructions for carrying it caused Allied soldiers to brace captured ‘knee mortars’ against their leg, leading to shattered femurs! Mortars fire shells (called mortar bombs) at a steep angle, so that they fall on the enemy ahead. Ray Noble, Museum Volunteer.
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