British Paratroops in WWII

[Kiwikkiwik]

On the web it says they produced about 23,000,000 bombs for the 2 inch mortar
http://www.wwiiequipment.com/index.p...tish&Itemid=59 guy

[scorpio_rocks]

Originally Posted by Kiwikkiwik

On the web it says they produced about 23,000,000 bombs for the 2 inch mortar
http://www.wwiiequipment.com/index.p...tish&Itemid=59 guy

Note, however that, that figure includes reloads for tank smoke dischargers.

[Cross]

Originally Posted by scorpio_rocks

Note, however that, that figure includes reloads for tank smoke dischargers.

Actually, not.

Production was:

22,758,758 HE rounds for 2-in Mortar (not including tank mortar)
22,899,659 Smoke rounds for 2-in Mortar

8,168,900 Smoke rounds for tank dischargers
4,314,000 WP smoke rounds for tank dischargers



Cross

[IronDuke99]

Originally Posted by Cross

Actually, not.

Production was:

22,758,758 HE rounds for 2-in Mortar (not including tank mortar)
22,899,659 Smoke rounds for 2-in Mortar

8,168,900 Smoke rounds for tank dischargers
4,314,000 WP smoke rounds for tank dischargers



Cross

I wonder if the HE rounds includes the illuminating rounds? I also note that smoke rounds were of two types one being white phosphorus and that can be nasty stuff.

Also while the UK replaced the 2 inch mortar with a new 51mm mortar, and then a US 60mm mortar. India still uses a modified version of the WWII 2 inch mortar.

[Cross]

Originally Posted by IronDuke99

I wonder if the HE rounds includes the illuminating rounds? I also note that smoke rounds were of two types one being white phosphorus and that can be nasty stuff.

Also while the UK replaced the 2 inch mortar with a new 51mm mortar, and then a US 60mm mortar. India still uses a modified version of the WWII 2 inch mortar.

I don't know production figures for illuminating rounds.
But one of the differences between the 1939 and the 1942 manuals is that the 1939 only mentions HE and smoke, but the 1942 references the use of illuminating rounds (with parachute) and signaling rounds in red or green (page 5).

I have attached the 1942 training manual for the 2-inch mortar.


Cross

[Cross]

Originally Posted by Kiwikkiwik

On the web it says they produced about 23,000,000 bombs for the 2 inch mortar
http://www.wwiiequipment.com/index.p...tish&Itemid=59 guy

The 1939 pamphlet says there were smoke and HE bombs.
Each platoon carried 6 containers of bombs in their platoon truck. Each container has 6 bombs. One might assume it was 3 containers of smoke, 3 containers of HE, or 18 bombs of each.

Unrelated to the bombs, the pamphlet was 1939 when the sighted mortar was still in use. The sights were found to be extra weight and bulk for not much advantage, and platoons started carrying the lighter unsighted version.


Cross