Why Stokes mortar performance suited trench fighting

An approximately 800-yard range covered many of the short distances involved in trench fighting. A stated rate of 25 rounds per minute supplied concentrated fire quickly, making the range less restrictive in that setting. Larger versions served specialist purposes, including smoke and gas ammunition. Stokes also wanted an incendiary round, whose designation is unclear in the captions, for the Royal Engineers' Special Brigade. The later reference tentatively identifies a 4-inch variant under that specialist control. His work brought a knighthood and a financial award from the Ministry of Munitions. A viewer supplies the name of the later British replacement, the Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar.