The French 220mm mortar M14 was a heavy piece of artillery employed during World War I. Although it entered service with the French Army in 1914, it would effectively and intensively be used during the Battle of Verdun and the Somme in 1916. The Germans would employ it also during World War II and they would call it the 22cm Morser M14.
Technical Characteristics
The French 220mm mortar was, as a matter of fact, a heavy howitzer used as fire support and also during the siege of cities. It weighed four tons and fired high explosive shells weighing 100.5 kg to a maximum range of 7.1 km. It had a short barrel, measuring only 2 m in length and it was fitted with a squat, split carriage.
On the Summer of 1942, it was used on the northern and central Russian Front in groups of two or three-gun batteries. It supplemented the firepower of the operation artillery battalions. The provided effective means of harassing the enemy.
Below, the French 220mm mortar. This one had no shield when the photo was taken.
