The Stokes Mortar, invented by Sir Wilfred Stokes in 1915, revolutionized trench warfare during World War I. Prior to the introduction of this weapon, the mortars used were cumbersome and less effective. 

Stokes' design was simple yet highly effective, allowing for rapid firing—a critical advantage in the static, trench-dominated battlefields of the war.

The Stokes Mortar was a lightweight, smoothbore, muzzle-loading weapon for lobbing shells at a high angle, making it ideal for targeting enemy forces hidden behind the cover of trenches. It fired a 3-inch (76 mm) shell and had a range of about 800 yards (730 meters), which was suitable for most front-line trench warfare scenarios.

One of the key features of the Stokes Mortar was its portability and the speed with which it could be assembled and made ready for action. It consisted of three main parts: a base plate, a tubular metal barrel, and a bi-pod. This simplicity allowed a crew of just two or three men to operate the mortar, with one dropping the bomb into the barrel and another adjusting the firing angle.

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