Spigot mortar

From Freepedia

The Spigot Mortar, or "Blacker Bombard," was invented by Lieutenant-Colonel Blacker with the aim of providing cheap and easily-produced weapons after most of the British Army's heavy equipment had been lost at Dunkirk. Other field weapons invented for the same purpose during this period were the Northover Projector and the Smith Gun.

It fired a 20-pound fin-stabilised high explosive mortar bomb propelled by black powder, and had an effective range of 100 yards in its anti-tank role and up to 450 yards when firing a lighter anti-personnel bomb. It had one major drawback in that when the warhead hit its target, the fins would often fly backwards, endangering the firing crew.

In its static defence role, the mortar was mounted on a steel pin set into a substantial base of reinforced concrete. This was in turn set within a camouflaged weapons pit to offer some protection to the three-man gun crew. A portable mount was also available, but weighed around 350 pounds and took three men to move it.