TRENCH MORTARS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2960, 26 December 1916, Page 4

TRENCH MORTARS

NEW GUNS FOR FEATHERSTON. When the next artillery' field! day aud battle practice is held at Fea-ther-sten during January there will be some new pieces of ordnance engaged, in the form of trench mortars. Four types of thi§ style of gun arrived in Wellington a few days ago, and are to.be sent to Featherston camp, which is tho artillery camp in New Zealand. There they will be used for training' and instructional purposes. In size the new,- weapons range from the Vickers 1.570 in. ,to the 4in. mortar which fires a high explosive shell. The other two sizes are the 3.7 in., firing jam-tin bombs, and tho 2in., which fires a 501b. bomb. The purpose of a trench mortar is to drop shells or bombs into the enemy , trenches as nearly perpendicularly as possible, and thus render useless much of tho shelter provided against shellfire. As the weapons are fired from the trench, and would be quickly located by the enemy, the trenoh mortar is moved, about frequently, and for this purpose the 2in. gun mentioned has a carriage mounted 011 hicycle wheels. This gunjand tho Vickers are fired! by a frictioirtube, while, the 3.7 and the 4in. have rifle mechanism, the' 4in. being also rifle bored. The Vickors lias a poriseopic sight and is mounted on a miniature gun_ platform, though its barrel is only 18 inches long. The trench mortars have a range up to 500 yards, aud are sometimes spoken , of as howitzers. Their arrival at Featherston will. cause keen interest' among tbe artillerymen in training there. ___