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Mortar (weapon): the story on HearLore | HearLore
Mortar (weapon)
In 1413, during a naval battle off the coast of Korea, gunsmiths deployed a weapon that looked less like a cannon and more like a giant cooking pot. This device, known as the wan'gu or gourd-shaped mortar, marked the earliest reported use of mortars in recorded history. The weapon was invented by Ch'oe Hae-san, the son of the renowned gunsmith Ch'oe Mu-sen, and its design dates back to 1407. Unlike the long tubes of traditional cannons, these early mortars were short, wide, and smooth-bored, resembling the kitchen and apothecary mortars from which they derived their name. They were designed to launch explosive projectiles in a high, arching trajectory, allowing them to drop bombs directly into enemy ships or fortifications from a distance. This simple yet revolutionary concept of dropping explosives from above rather than shooting them horizontally would eventually define a class of weapons that remains vital to modern warfare.
Siege Warfare And The Parthenon
The first documented use of mortars in siege warfare occurred during the 1453 siege of Constantinople, where Mehmed the Conqueror utilized them to breach the city's legendary walls. However, the weapon's destructive potential was perhaps most famously illustrated during the Venetian siege of the Acropolis of Athens in September 1687. An Italian account by Giovanni da Tagliacozzo described how Ottoman forces used seven mortars to fire stone shots that traveled an Italian mile high, creating a time of flight long enough for observers to warn defenders of their approach. During this campaign, a Venetian mortar shell struck an ammunition depot inside the Parthenon, causing a massive explosion that destroyed the ancient temple. This event highlighted the mortar's unique ability to deliver high-angle fire that could reach targets hidden behind high walls or within fortifications, a capability that standard field guns of the era could not match. The weapon's simplicity and effectiveness in siege scenarios made it a staple of military engineering for centuries, despite its initial bulk and immobility.
The Man Who Made It Portable
For centuries, mortars were heavy, immobile siege engines that required massive crews to move, but the landscape of warfare changed in 1701 when Baron Menno van Coehoorn invented a transportable version. Van Coehoorn's design was a lightweight mortar that fired an exploding shell with a fuse lit by the hot gases generated upon firing. This innovation allowed for rapid deployment and maneuverability on the battlefield, leading to the creation of a new type of naval ship known as the bomb vessel. The Coehorn mortar quickly gained popularity and was used extensively during the Venetian conquest of Morea between 1684 and 1699. Its utility was further proven during the suppression of the Jacobite rising of 1719 at the Battle of Glen Shiel, where British forces utilized these mobile mortars to great effect in the rough terrain of the West Highlands of Scotland. The high-angle trajectory of the mortar provided a significant tactical advantage over standard field guns, allowing troops to engage enemies hidden behind ridges or in difficult terrain that would have been inaccessible to traditional artillery.
Ch'oe Hae-san invented the first mortar weapon in 1407. He was the son of the renowned gunsmith Ch'oe Mu-sen and designed the device known as the wan'gu or gourd-shaped mortar.
When did mortars first appear in recorded history?
Mortars first appeared in recorded history in 1413 during a naval battle off the coast of Korea. This event marked the earliest reported use of mortars in recorded history.
What happened to the Parthenon during the Venetian siege of Athens in 1687?
A Venetian mortar shell struck an ammunition depot inside the Parthenon during the Venetian siege of Athens in September 1687. The resulting massive explosion destroyed the ancient temple.
Who invented the transportable Coehorn mortar in 1701?
Baron Menno van Coehoorn invented the transportable Coehorn mortar in 1701. His design was a lightweight mortar that fired an exploding shell with a fuse lit by the hot gases generated upon firing.
When was the Stokes mortar invented and by whom?
Sir Wilfred Stokes invented the Stokes mortar in 1915. The weapon was initially rejected in June 1915 but production was expedited through the intervention of David Lloyd George and Lieutenant Colonel J. C. Matheson.
What is the largest mortar ever developed in history?
The largest mortars ever developed include the Belgian Monster Mortar created by Henri-Joseph Paixhans in 1832 and Mallet's Mortar developed by Robert Mallet in 1857. Both weapons were 910 mm in caliber.
By the time World War I began, the mortar had largely fallen out of general use in Europe, only to be resurrected in the muddy, static conditions of the Western Front. The need for a versatile, easily portable weapon that could be operated by troops under cover in the trenches led to the invention of the Stokes mortar by Sir Wilfred Stokes in 1915. Initially rejected in June 1915 because it could not use existing stocks of British mortar ammunition, the weapon's production was expedited only through the intervention of David Lloyd George, then Minister of Munitions, and Lieutenant Colonel J. C. Matheson. The Stokes mortar was a simple muzzle-loaded weapon consisting of a smoothbore metal tube fixed to a base plate with a lightweight bipod mount. When a mortar bomb was dropped into the tube, an impact-sensitive primer in the base of the bomb would make contact with a firing pin at the base of the tube, detonating the round. This design allowed the weapon to fire as many as 25 bombs per minute with a maximum range that could reach targets directly inside enemy trenches, a feat impossible for low-angle artillery.
The Silent Rod And The Spigot
While the Stokes mortar dominated the trenches, a different mechanical principle emerged to solve the problem of recoil and portability: the spigot mortar. Unlike conventional mortars that use a tube to guide the projectile, a spigot mortar consists of a solid rod or spigot onto which a hollow tube in the projectile fits, effectively inverting the normal tube-mortar arrangement. The propellant charge is contained within a cavity at the top of the projectile, and a long firing pin running up the length of the spigot activates a primer inside the projectile to fire the charge. This design allowed for a firing unit that was smaller and lighter than a conventional tube mortar of equivalent payload and range. The Blacker Bombard, used by Britain during World War II, and the Hedgehog launcher, which fired a diamond pattern of anti-submarine projectiles from the deck of a ship, were notable applications of this technology. Although spigot mortars generally fell out of favor after World War II due to the weight of the projectiles required for large quantities, they offered a unique advantage in simplicity and the ability to fire ammunition of almost any weight and diameter from the same mortar.
The Modern Precision Strike
In the 21st century, the mortar has evolved from a simple tube into a precision-guided system capable of striking specific targets with lethal accuracy. The XM395 Precision Guided Mortar Munition, developed by Alliant Techsystems, combines GPS guidance and directional control surfaces into a package that replaces standard fuses, transforming existing 120 mm mortar bodies into precision-guided munitions. Similarly, the Strix mortar round, manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics, is an endphase-guided projectile that contains an infrared imaging sensor to guide itself onto any tank or armored fighting vehicle in the vicinity where it lands. The seeker is designed to ignore targets that are already burning, ensuring that the weapon strikes its intended target even in the chaos of battle. These modern systems, including the Israeli Iron Sting and the Russian KM-8 Gran, represent a significant leap forward in mortar technology, allowing for high-angle fire that can be directed with the precision of a sniper rifle while retaining the mobility and ease of use of traditional mortars.
The Monster And The Improvised
Throughout history, mortars have ranged from the massive to the makeshift, with some designs pushing the boundaries of engineering and others emerging from the desperation of conflict. The largest mortars ever developed include the Belgian Monster Mortar, created by Henri-Joseph Paixhans in 1832, and Mallet's Mortar, developed by Robert Mallet in 1857, both of which were 910 mm in caliber. While the Monster Mortar was used in combat at the Battle of Antwerp in 1832, the Little David, also 910 mm, was developed by the United States for World War II but never saw action. In contrast to these behemoths, the modern era has seen the rise of improvised mortars used by insurgent groups, such as the hell cannons of the Syrian civil war and the Pasilan 2000 used by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka. These weapons, often constructed from heavy steel piping and mobile launchers, are wildly inaccurate yet responsible for thousands of civilian deaths, highlighting the dual nature of the mortar as both a tool of military strategy and a weapon of terror.