Description

During WW1, the army of the German Empire used several types of mortars. Mortars were fairly new kind of military equipment and various armies employed them for the first time in the first decades of the 20th century. The 7.58cm Leichter minenwerfer was a light-weight weapon comparing to other mortars and was produced in two styles, the earlier known as the a/A and the later n/A (standing for alte Art and neu Art). The n/A variety was equipped with a circular firing platform which permitted a full 360 degree traverse. The barrel was longer and allowed for a direct fire too. These mortars were used by engineer units for a siege type of warfare. By the winter of 1916-1917, these mortars were transferred to infantry units and because of their light weight they could be transported on two wheel carts or even carried by a group of six men. They were used against enemy’s tanks too, because of their 0° - 27° elevation direct fire capability.