INERT DEACTIVATED. Extremely Rare, WW1 British Small Sized Vickers 1.59 Inch Toffee Apple Mortar. O 2331 INERT DEACTIVATED. Extremely Rare, WW1 British Small Sized Vickers 1.59 Inch Toffee Apple Mortar. O 2331 Various Other Ammunition

INERT DEACTIVATED. The design, by Messrs. Vickers, was approved on 14th January, 1915. Six mortars with 250 cast-iron stick-bombs weighing variously 18 lb. or 33 lb., filled with permite, and detonated by a special time fuze, were issued overseas on 8th March as part of the gun trials. It was found, however, that one bomb was too light and the other ranged only about 200 yards. During the winter of 1915-1916, attempts were made to improve the design. The 1.5-inch variant failed trials and was not widely adopted because the smaller barrel suffered from excessive overheating and a slowed rate of fire. In April 1916, it was decided to withdraw the mortar from France, it being replace by the 2 inch toffee apple mortor bomb. Many of the surplus 1.57 inch trench mortars were later used by the Admiralty for arming merchant vessels during WW1. The mortor was designated as M.L. 1.59 in HOW. This is a rare WW1 unfired 1.59 inch toffee apple mortor bomb complete with the copper gas check on the base of the rod. the bomb measures 18 ½ inch overall with a 11 inch, 1.59 inch diameter rod and a 6 inch diameter ball that was filled with high explosive. The mortor is fitted with a number 121 time fuze. The price for this rare trials mortor includes UK delivery and no licence is required to possess this inert mortor items in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. O 2331