Can anybody identify this German mortar captured at Vimy Ridge ?

[RodB]

Libraries and Archives Canada have this photo of Julian Byng inspecting captured mortars after the battle of Vimy Ridge. Anybody know what the device in the foregraound is ? Looks large but far more primitive than a minenwerfer.

[centurion]

The Germans used what were known as Provisional MWs made in field workshops, initially because supplies of mass produced ones were not coming into service fast enough but later some of the larger ones were used to lob oil bombs (with a black powder bursting charge) intended to break up charges on German trenches and strong points (much like the early Livens on the British side) There is a photo of one such in Jager's German Artillery being loaded with what looks very like an oil bomb The barrel looks very similar although the primitive mount is different. The problem is that being very much improvised weapons patterns would inevitably vary.

[centurion]

The US Army Manual Trench Artillery contains a detailed description of a German Auxillary (Provisional) mortar called a Ladungswerfer Erhardt which seems to describe a mortar very like the one in the photo. These appear to have been used to fire the same missiles as the Erdmorser and the Albrecht both also described in some detail which were wooden wire bound mortars - the first part buried in the ground and the later mounted on a metal stand.

[centurion]

Yup found photo of a Ladungswerfer Erhardt - thats what it is.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/drakegoodman/10733745766/

[Cnock]

another pick Ladungswerfer Ehrhardt

[Cnock]

different projectiles

Cnock

[centurion]

different projectiles

Cnock

Made from thin sheet steel with a standard factory made hemispherical cap welded on. It would seem that everything tube, mounting, projectile other than the cap and fuse could be fabricated in a field workshop.

Ranges

• 20 kgs. 35 to 265 metres
• 30 kgs 25 to 190 metres
• 40 kgs 20 to 160 metres

All with a time fuse that can be set to detonate 4 to 15 seconds after firing the round.

Propellant charges (black powder) 30, 60, 90 grammes

[RodB]

Thank you gentlemen, more info than I could have hoped for.

[RodB]

With such a short range, would this have been a purely defensive weapon ?

[centurion]

With such a short range, would this have been a purely defensive weapon ?

The British 2 inch Toffee Apple was equally short range and it was used offensively (particularly to cut wire but also to deliver smoke and gas).however as I said earlier some of these large calibre heavy provisional mortars were used later to defend trenches and strong-points by breaking up charges, sometimes by firing oil bombs