*British, WW1 - c.1916–1918, Stokes 3-Inch Mortar Bomb, Mark I, With No.146 “All-Ways” Percussion Fuze, Inert*
An original First World War British 3-inch Stokes mortar bomb, measuring approximately 42 cm in overall length with a body diameter of c.7.5 cm. The bomb retains its tubular steel body, perforated tail tube, and base assembly, and is fitted with its correct British No.146 “All-Ways” percussion fuze.
The fuze is of brass construction and retains its threaded base, exposed striker assembly, side inspection plug, and characteristic C-shaped retaining / safety clips, all consistent with period manufacture. Traces of original military paint survive beneath heavy service oxidation, confirming its original wartime finish. The bomb is inert and empty, preserved as a complete display example.
Historical Note: The Stokes mortar, introduced in 1915 by Sir Wilfred Stokes, became one of the most effective infantry weapons of the First World War. Its simplicity, portability, and high rate of fire made it ideally suited to trench warfare, and it was in widespread use on the Western Front from 1916 onwards.
The 3-inch Stokes bomb was the standard projectile for this system. Due to the smooth-bore nature of the mortar, bombs were unstabilised and tumbled in flight, necessitating the development of a fuze that would function reliably regardless of the angle of impact. The No.146 “All-Ways” percussion fuze was designed specifically to address this issue and became the standard fuze for Mark I high-explosive Stokes bombs, ensuring detonation whether the bomb struck nose-on, side-on, or at an oblique angle.
Complete surviving examples fitted with their original fuze are increasingly scarce.
*Condition* Inert and empty. Heavy corrosion and pitting throughout, consistent with age, service use, and long-term storage. Original paint visible in places beneath oxidisation. No.146 fuze present with corrosion and mineralisation; safety components incomplete as expected. Structurally intact but fragile in areas due to corrosion. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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