WWI TRENCH GRENADE CROSSBOWS & Mortars:

I was researching info on Roman military use of handheld crossbows (as you do ..a dubious & uncertain topic - did they or didn't they?) when I discovered that during World War I there had been widespread use of  'crossbows' to throw various grenades at each other at extended range.

Firstly I found the German WURFMASCHINE that used 8 coil springs to launch three grenades simultaneously up to 200 meters,

Wurf Maschine With Austro-Hungerian Troops.

 Then I have also found reference to the West Spring Gun - a trench grenade thrower - one example of which may be in the Australian War Memorial Collection. This used 24 coil springs to (slightly erratically) launch grenades out to 240 yards and was not trusted by the men - as it would sometimes bounce it's grenade back from the rim of the trench!

West Spring Gun:

Then in 1915 the British developed the LEACH TRENCH CATAPULT which was a Y-shaped frame with natural rubber bands pulled taut by a windlass and held in position by a hook release.

- They were manufactured by the Gamages department store in Central London and cost £6 17s 6d to make ! - but they only stayed in use until the end of 1915.

Then the Brits discovered that the French had a more effective tool called the Sauterelle Crossbow .. well it was lighter but shorter ranged ..

The Sauterelle replaced the Leach Catapult in British service

 (until they were in turn replaced in 1916 by the 2 inch Medium Trench Mortar
 and the Stokes mortar)

Sauterelle In French Service 

The Sauterelle weighed-in at 24-29 kg and threw its bomb up to 140 meters at the rate of four rounds per minute.

That most worthy man Ian McCollum of Forgotten weapons has a neat piece on the Sauterelle here LINK:

https://www.forgottenweapons.com/larbalete-la-sauterelle-type-a-dimphy/


I have seen reports that those clever Germans went into the war in 1914 already equiped with some x140 mortars in three different sizes! - but it was January 1915 before pommy Bill Stokes came-up with his design for the '3 inch mortar' - that set the pattern for most later designs .. including the much larger 9.5 inch heavy mortar - called "FLYING PIGS" by the Tommies.** 😊😊

The STOKES 3" Mortar was invented in 1915 (by (Sir) Mr Wilfred Stokes) & was actually a simple 3.2 inch smooth-bore.

  

I read that the Stokes Trench Mortar continued in use with New Zealand Defense Forces until after the end of WWII.

An interesting debate about Grenades and throwing them can be found here: LINK:

https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/33103/were-slings-used-for-throwing-hand-grenades-if-not-why/33141

** British soldiers have been called "Tommies" after the legendary 'Tommy Atkins' since way back in the 1700s:

One common belief is that the name 'TOMMY' was chosen by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington after having been inspired by the bravery of a soldier at the Battle of Boxtel in 1794 during the Flanders Campaign.

 - After a fierce engagement, the Duke, in command of the 33rd Regiment of Foot, spotted the best man-at-arms in the regiment, Private Thomas Atkins, terribly wounded. The private said "It's all right, sir. It's all in a day's work" and died shortly after.

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- Between 1915-1917 the Brits also used a "2 inch Medium Mortar" This was a simple two inch tube but the bomb itself was a 9 inch football sized sphere fixed to a 22" long steel shaft that dropped down the tube to fire. - Our Tommies called these "Toffee Apples" after their shape .. and there is the legend that this is the origin of the phrase "How do you like them apples?"

'Two Inch' Toffee-Apple Mortar Grenade:

Marty K.