The 5 cm Granatwerfer 36 was a light mortar employed by the German Army's Infantry during World War II. It was the standard fire support weapon issued to every platoon within a Regiment's company. Despite its smaller caliber, it was easy to carry around and it had a faster rate of fire than the 8-cm. However, it had a much shorter range. It was massively produced and it was used in every offensive since the beginning of the war in 1939. The German soldier nicknamed it Zigeuner Artillerie (Gypsy artillery) since it could be moved about easily on the battlefield. However, by early 1944, it had already been withdrawn from service.
To operate the 5 cm leichte Granatwerfer 36 (leGrW 36), as it was known in German, a crew of three men was needed. One of them carried 45 rounds of ammunition ready to be used, with a firing rate of 40 rounds per minute. The ammunition was made of cast-steel casing and was called Werfergranate 36. It featured a Werfergranatzunder (fuse), which also had a graze action. After having been fired, the ammunition fuse became armed about fifty yards away from the mortar barrel muzzle for safety reason. The fuse graze action was designed to ignite the detonation train to produce air-burst explosion if the ammunition fell through trees and grazed against branches.
The barrel of the this 50mm German mortar was attached to the baseplate through a locking pin, which allowed it to be moved in a firing arc independently of the baseplate angle to the ground. It was fitted with a collimating sight, which was mounted at the base near the breech end of the barrel. It was a sight equipped with a collimator that was set parallel to the axis of the barrel.
Specifications
Weight: 30.9 lb (14 kg)
Caliber: 50 mm
Barrel Length: 19.3 inches (49,5 cm)
Elevation: +45° to +90°
Range: 560 yards
Shell: 2lb Wgr 36 HE; Wgr Nb 36 (smoke)
Below, a German rifle platoon, during the Polish Campaign in 1939, in a ditch ready to move forward carrying the 5-cm Granatwerfer.
Below, a photo of the leGrW 36 in a museum.
