*British, WW2, SBML 2 Inch H.E. Mortar, Dated July 1942, Made by Avon Die-Casting Company, Birmingham, Inert*
Marked on the fin: War Arrow, JW, ADC, 7/42, Z
ADC – Avon Die-Casting Company, Birmingham
“Z” for nitrocellulose fill compound.
Approximate measurements: 22.3cm tall, 4.8 top diameter,
Background
The SBML two-inch mortar, commonly known as the “two-inch mortar,” was a British mortar adopted by the British Army and Commonwealth forces during World War II and beyond. It offered greater portability compared to larger mortars, yet provided superior range and firepower to rifle grenades.
The standard service model featured a 21-inch (530 mm) barrel capable of launching a 2.25 lb (1.02 kg) high explosive bomb up to 500 yards. Unlike longer-barreled mortars, it utilized a breech-mounted trigger mechanism instead of the traditional drop-and-strike method due to its compact design. Initially equipped with a complex collimating sight, it was later simplified with a single white line along the barrel for aiming, a method effective enough to persist throughout its service life.
Evolutionary adaptations included a switch from a large base plate to a curved one, reducing its combat weight to 10.25 lb (4.65 kg). Lacking forward struts or bipods, the mortar required one soldier to hold the barrel at the correct angle while another loaded and fired rounds, achieving a firing rate of approximately eight rounds per minute. Its ammunition included cylindrical bombs with perforated, four-finned tails, featuring impact fuzes for high explosive rounds, alongside specialized variants such as illuminating and smoke rounds. Notably, a unique minefield-clearing bomb was also developed.
Variants included the Mk VII* for airborne units, the Mk VII for Universal Carriers, and the Mk III adapted for tank-mounted smoke dischargers. Post-war, the mortar continued in service primarily for smoke and illuminating rounds until the late 1980s, when it was succeeded by the L9A1 51 mm light mortar.
*Condition*
Good used condition. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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