Photo gunners of the 5th light mortar artillery battalion RIA

In the terminology of the early twentieth century mortars could name any gun caliber larger than the standard for field artillery 75 – 80 mm, irrespective of their design and the trajectory of the shooting. Foreign howitzers supplied to Russia in 1915 and 1917 because of the catastrophic shortage of heavy artillery systems that could be called "light mortars". Battery of these guns was not in the brigade, and in certain divisions a striking example divisions or corps. "Light mortar" were called divisions, the arms of which consisted of British howitzers caliber 45 lines (114 mm). According to the state division consisted of control and three batteries of 4 guns each. There is evidence of the formation in the second half of 1916 and 1917, just 26 light mortar battalions, but it is not known how many of them were actually created and completed the material part. The ranks of the battalions were assigned encryption type" n L. Mr." in combination with standard special sign artillery (crossed cannons), rendered on khaki shoulder straps stenciled in red paint. The gunners armed with a shortened Dragoon sabers and revolvers trilinear sample 1895 To date, this is the only known photo of ranks of light mortar battalion, an armed English howitzers. Postcard format. Recommended!