French M1917 150mm Trench Mortar

French M1917 150mm Trench Mortar. . The French Army adopted trench mortars after experiencing the devastating effects of the German Minenwerfer. The rapid transition of the First World War from a war of movement to a static trench war led to the development of the heavy mortars capable of high-angle trajectories and deep penetration of overhead earth cover. The design of the 150mm Mle 1917 by DeFabry was the same as conventional Field Artillery weapons with the tube supported by two recoil-recuperators. The round was a finned projectile carrying an 11-lb. explosive charge and was loaded from the muzzle. The propellant charge was loaded from the breech and ignited by a percussion ignition system. The mortar battery, with its six pieces, could assist the infantry in reducing enemy strong points, such as machine gun nests. The battery could also attack enemy troops under cover or on the counter-slope of a hill. Broken down into three loads and carried on machine gun carts, the separate loads were transported in tandem. One horse or eight men towed the paired loads. The ammunition carts carried 20 bombs. Two bombs could be transported by the crew using a special harness. The 150mm Mortar M1e 1917 was used by both French and American forces. , Caliber - 5.9 in. - 150 mm , Weight - 1,353 lbs. - 615 kg , Range - 2,167 yds. - 2,000 m , Shell Weight - 37.4 lbs. - 17 kg , Muzzle Velocity - 512 ft/sec. - 156 m/sec. , Elevation - 45 to 72 degrees - 800 to 1,279 mils , Traverse - 27 degrees , Rate of Fire - 2-3 rpm , CCN# 127031