81mm Mortar.

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This thread is devoted to the 81mm mortar and the men who served in Mortar platoon during the FN era till its eventual withdrawal from the infantry battalions during the nineties. LIke the Pioneers, we are a forgotten breed. Please post all mortar photographs or stories in this thread for the sake of order and remember to place one photograph per reply.



 

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Charlie Hawks, Mr Mortars for a generation of Royal Canadians and my instructor at The School, took this picture with a polaroid camera. I believe he won the annual Canadian Armed Forces photograph with it. Thanks also to Abe Doney, Royal Canadian, for keeping Charlie's spirit alive. Abe is in the picture, btw. He is the Number 1 and if you will note, he is covering his eyes to protect his night vision in order to lay the weapon for the next round downrange. Pro Patria.   



No. 1 Abe Doney, No. 2 Gerry Oakley, No. 3 Bruce Musson

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munster, 1981

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Waiting for the fog to lift. Fog was often a problem in Northern Germany as the impact areas became completely obscured for hours, some times days. Range Safety regulations, btw, forbade firing until certain visibilituy requitements were met.

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The ride back to the barracks after shooting.

 

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1980, August Graf, W Germany

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Ray Cluett, mortarman extraordinaire.

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Meaford...level them damn bubbles. As I understand it, the buildings behind me are no more.

 

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Some of the lads standing in front of 51...

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This is a picture of the Pl Cmdr at the time, Captain Robertson. He was on exchange and proved to be a very good leader. Joe Porrier in hon the left. At the time he was the Platoon Warrant Officer  and I was the senior MFC. Photo taken at the WO & Sergeants Mess shortly before Christmas, 1982 when, as per tradition, the officers were invited into the mess.

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1 RCR Mortar Platoon, Spring 1983, Stonehendge, England. The platoon was attached to 2RCHA for exercise Ardent Ground, a Ace Mobile Force gun camp that would be held up north along Hadrians Wall. T'was a very good time. This picture was taken just before we returned to Canada.


 
Front Row. Sgts Ray Cluett and Bob Shram, Lt Devlin, Captain Norris, Joe Porrier, myself and Phil Johnson.

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This is a beaut. 1987, 52, TQ4 Mortar course, night shoot.

...his was a salvo on bedding in from 52 Grp 3RCR Mortar Crse Fall 87. Neil (Reese) was the CPO, Guy Legasse ACPO on the whiz wheel, and Blake Gamble) was the Line Cpl...



Comments and photo provided by Zag aka?

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The next generation.



For those of who never had the opportunity to serve in mortar platoon in the mounted role, here is a brief quote from my friend Blake Gamble. He was responding a question about timings for large. small corrections.


There was a small jump seat in the back, and that was pretty much it.  Most of the tube came out the top, so for movement it was fine for the numer 1 & 2.  Number 3 drove & helped out with ammo as per, but he worked on the ramp as the Dragon was a converted Bison with the RO (Brit Royal Ordinance) mount.

As far as corrections, if you couldn't do a large correction in 10 seconds you were fired!  Most were 4-6 seconds for a large!

The whole platter (RO) rotated 360, so all you had was an elevation bubble to worry about.  There was a central bubble that you'd level by parking the vehicle on a flat surface.

Set up was basically into action, pop lids & up tube, shoot in #1, parallel by sight unit (as all the old guys go aw shiiit) from 1 down the line(with periscopes because the sight is below the hatch), the record is a slip of the the scales on the floor (direction is taken from a bearing ring on the RO (floor)) & that was it.  Bearing (unlock & hand crank), elevation & level elevation "1 ON!"

Shoot n Scoot was excellent, as #3 was in the dvr hatch, and once the last bomb was gone so were we... at 80km!

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The Dragon, 2001 Bosnia. Glamoc Guncamp



Blake Gamble.