British 3 inch Mk 2 Mortar Round

~ British 3 inch Mk 2 Mortar Round ~

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. Initially handicapped by its short range compared to similar Second World War mortars, improvements of the propellant charges enabled it to be used with great satisfaction by various armies of the British Empire and of the Commonwealth.

The mortar had a smoothbore barrel with a caliber of 3 inches (76.2 mm).
It was muzzle-loaded and fired a variety of projectiles, including high-explosive (HE) bombs, smoke bombs, and illuminating flares.
The weapon had a distinctive curved base plate and a bipod for stability during firing.
The mortar had a range of approximately 1,700 yards (1,550 meters).

After World War II, the 3-inch mortar remained in service with British and Commonwealth forces during the post-war period and subsequent conflicts.