Ordnance ML 3 inch mortar

This article is about the World War II mortar. For the World War I Stokes mortar, see Stokes Mortar.

Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar
Canadian 3-inch mortar team, training post war
Type	Mortar
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	Second World War Korean War
Production history
Designed	1930s
Specifications
Weight	50.8 kg (112 lb)
Barrel length	1.3 m (4 ft 3 in)

Calibre	81.2 mm (3.20 in)
Muzzle velocity	198 m/s (650 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	Mk.II: 1,463 m (1,600 yd) Mk.II LR: 2,560 m (2,800 yd)

The Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar was the United Kingdom's standard mortar used by the British Army from the early 1930s to the late 1960s, superseding the Stokes mortar.^[1] Although called the '3-inch mortar' by the British Army, its calibre was actually 3.209 in (81.5 mm)^[2]

Design

The ML 3-inch mortar is a conventional Stokes-type mortar which is muzzle-loaded and drop-fired.

History

In action in Burma, 1944

Based on their experience in World War I, the British infantry sought some sort of artillery for close support. The initial plan was for special batteries of artillery, but the cost was prohibitive and the mortar was accepted instead.

The Mark II mortar (Mark I was the Stokes) was adopted by the British Army in the early 1930s; and this was the standard British mortar when World War II broke out in September 1939. Experience in the early part of the war showed that although the Mark II was reliable and sturdy it did not have sufficient range compared to the German 81 mm s.GW.34 mortar. A series of experiments and trials using new propellants improved the range from 1600 yards to 2800 yards by about 1942; and by 1943 the barrel, baseplate and sights had also been improved.^[3]^[4]

The Mark II remained in service until replaced by the L16 81mm mortar in 1965.

Users

Returned & Services League building, Roma, Queensland

Notes

↑ The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII, Chris Bishop, 2002, page 194
↑ Handbook for the Ordnance, M.L 3-Inch Mortar, Mark II, on Mounting, 3-inch Mortar, Mark I Land Service 1937, Reprinted with Amendments, 1942. Reprinted with the permission of the Controller, His Majesty's Stationery Office, London. By Authority: Modern Printing Co. Pty. Ltd., Melbourne.
↑ The War Office, Army Council, Small Arms Training, Volume I, Pamphlet No. 9, Mortar (3-inch) 1939
↑ The War Office, Army Council, Small Arms Training, Volume I, Pamphlet No. 9, Amendment No.1, Mortar (3-inch) 1943

External links

Media related to Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar at Wikimedia Commons

British Commonwealth small arms of World War II and Korea

Side-arms	Webley Mk IV & Mk VI Revolvers Enfield No. 2 Mk I Revolver Browning P-35 "High Power" Pistol M1911/M1911A1 pistol Smith & Wesson "Victory" Revolver Welrod

Rifles & submachine guns	SMLE No.1 Mk III* & Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.I Pattern 1914 Enfield Lee-Enfield No.5 Mk.I "Jungle Carbine" Ross Rifle Mk.III De Lisle Commando Carbine Sten Lanchester Sterling Austen Kokoda Owen Gun Welgun M1921/M1928/M1 Thompson

Machine-guns & other larger weapons	Besa machine gun Bren Gun Charlton Automatic Rifle Lewis Gun Vickers MG PIAT Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55 in, Boys 29 mm Spigot Mortar "Blacker Bombard" SBML 2inch Mortar Projector, 2½-inch Mk. II "Northover" ML 3-inch Mortar ML 4.2 inch Mortar 3-inch Mk. I OSB Gun "Smith Gun" No.2 "Lifebuoy" Flamethrower

Grenades	British grenades of WWI and WW2 Mills Bomb

Small arms cartridges	.303 British 9mm Parabellum .45 ACP .455 Webley .38/200 .38 Special .50 BMG .55 Boys 15×104 mm Brno

Weapons of the British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations 1722–1965

Handguns	Beaumont–Adams revolver Enfield revolver Webley revolver Mk. I–VI Enfield No. 2 revolver Browning Hi-Power

Rifles and carbines	Brown Bess musket Ferguson rifle Nock gun Baker rifle Brunswick rifle Enfield 1853 Rifled Musket Snider–Enfield Martini–Henry Martini–Enfield Lee–Metford Lee–Enfield Ross rifle Lee–Enfield No.5 Mk.I "Jungle Carbine" Howell Automatic Rifle Huot Automatic Rifle Reider Automatic Rifle De Lisle Commando Carbine L1A1 SLR

Submachine guns	Lanchester Sten Owen gun Sterling L2 F1 submachine gun Thompson submachine gun

Rapid-fire weapons	Bira gun Nordenfelt gun Gatling gun Gardner gun Maxim gun QF 2 pdr "Pom-Pom" Vickers Gun Lewis Gun Vickers–Berthier Vickers K machine gun Charlton Automatic Rifle Besa Besal Bren gun

Anti-tank weapons	Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55 in, Boys PIAT 2 pdr Anti-Tank Gun 6 pdr Anti-Tank Gun 17 pdr Anti-Tank Gun L6 Wombat

Field guns and other weapons	25 pdr Field Gun Congreve rocket SBML 2-inch Mortar Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar No.2 "Lifebuoy" Flamethrower Stokes Mortar OTO Melara Mod 56

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