Stokes Mortar rounds

[Chris Noble]

Can anybody provide me with the colour schemes denoting smoke and H.E. that were used to identify the different rounds?

Regards, Chris.

[303man]

The basic colours of British WW1 Shells were:-

Mustard Yellow High Explosive

Black Shrapnel

Black with white circle Star Shell

Red Oxide Incindiary

Grey Chemical/Gas

Black White tip Armour Piercing

Green Smoke

I have an article Mr Stokes and his educated drainpipe I will see if I can find it

[303man]

Found this:

There were two standard types of 3" Stokes trench mortar shells authorized for use with the weapon during World War I. The primary type used was the "Mark I" high-explosive shell. It weighed about 11 pounds, 11 ounces, and was filled with approximately 2 1/4 pounds of "Trojan" nitrostarch explosive compound. TNT was also approved but seldom used. The shell was fitted with the "Mark VI" fuse. The Mark VI was an "all ways" impact fuse designed to detonate regardless of the velocity or angle with which the shell hit the ground. The Mark I explosive shells were painted gray or khaki with a three-inch yellow or red band painted around the body. The shell was equipped with a "safety pin" that was removed prior to dropping the shell into the mortar tube. The "Mark III" practice shell was produced and issued for training purposes. This shell was filled with about 2.15 pounds of sand and a black powder "booster" that produced a puff of white smoke upon impact. The weight and ballistic performance of the Mark III practice round simulated that of the Mark I high-explosive shell. The practice shell was painted dark blue and stenciled in white letters "Practice" on the body.

Three-inch Stokes mortar smoke shells for screening purposes and some white phosphorus shells were tested in limited numbers. There was also some experimentation done with toxic gas shells for the weapon. The 3" Stokes mortar gas shells were usually painted with a pink or green band on the outside of the body for identification purposes. The various types of chemical/gas shells could hold up to seven pounds of chemical compound. This was deemed insufficient, and the 3" Stokes trench mortar was seldom employed as a smoke or chemical agent projector. Therefore, the only type of 3" Stokes trench mortar shell to see any significant combat use was the "Mark I" high-explosive shell. The 3" Stokes trench mortar propelling cartridges used by the U.S. resembled shotgun shells and were color-coded red, green or blue depending on the respective power of the charges. Tables were contained in field manuals that listed the range and "time of flight" according to the type of cartridge and the number of "ballistite" propellant rings that were attached to the shell. Up to four of the donut-shaped propellant rings could be attached to a 3" Stokes mortar shell

[Chris Noble]

Thanks for the info guys.

Chris.

[A crooked MP]

Any one have a copy of Mr Stokes and his educated drainpipe that I could have a copy of please?

[centurion]

Trials found that the 3 inch gas/smoke rounds contained insufficient material to allow a cloud to be built up and maintained. The four inch Stokes was regarded as having a sufficiently large "pay load" for this purpose

[centurion]

Any one have a copy of Mr Stokes and his educated drainpipe that I could have a copy of please?

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here are a couple of shots....

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