Newton 6-inch Mortar
Introduced in early 1917, the Newton 6-inch Mortar replaced the earlier British 2-inch ‘toffee apple’ Trench Mortar. It fired a 52lb or 24kg high explosive shell. It was used by both the British Empire and the US.
Like the 2-inch Trench Mortar it replaced the Newton was manned by men of the Royal Field Artillery and formed part of a divisions artillery. They were deployed close to the frontline and were often used to support attacks or destroy enemy wire.
Canadian troops operating a Newton 6-inch Mortar, c. Nov 1918 (source)
The mortar was designed by Captain H. Newton in 1916, and was produced in both Britain and the US. Over 2,500 were produced before the end of the war. It had an effective range of up to 1,400 yards and a well trained crew could fire up to 8 rounds per minute.
The bomb used Amatol, Ammonal or Sabulite explosive and was detonated, not by an ignition system like the 2-inch mortar, but by a blank .303 cartridge included in the base of the mortar bomb. It was propelled by a variable cordite charge. After the war the Newton was subsequently declared obsolete with the lighter Stokes 3-inch mortar remaining in service during the inter-war period.
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