Ordnance SBML two-inch mortar

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	Weapon: Ordnance SBML two-inch mortar Type: Mortar Country of Origin: United Kingdom Year Adopted: 1937 Caliber: 51mm Action: Trip Overall Length (mm): 530.0 Overall Length (in): 20.87 Weight (kg): 5.00 Weight (pounds): 11.02 Effective Range (m): 460 m Effective Range (yards): 503.06

The Ordnance SBML two-inch mortar was a light infantry mortar developed by the United Kingdom prior to World War II. Introduced in the 1930s, the Smooth Bore Muzzle Loading (SBML) design provided British and Commonwealth infantry units with a simple, portable method of delivering high-explosive, smoke, and illumination rounds over short ranges. The mortar was exceptionally lightweight at around 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and featured a simple trigger-fired mechanism, lacking the base plate and bipod common to heavier mortars. It had a smoothbore barrel approximately 21 inches (53 cm) long and fired 2-inch (51 mm) rounds.

The two-inch mortar saw extensive service throughout World War II and the postwar era, becoming a standard platoon-level support weapon. It was widely used in the British Army, Commonwealth forces such as those of Canada, Australia, and India, and remained in service into the early Cold War. Its simplicity, ease of training, and fast deployment made it ideal for close infantry support in various theaters, from the deserts of North Africa to the jungles of Burma. Variants were also used in airborne and commando units due to their compactness and utility.

While exact production numbers are not well documented, hundreds of thousands of two-inch mortars and their ammunition were produced during the war. Though it was eventually replaced by more modern designs, such as the L9A1 51 mm mortar, the Ordnance SBML two-inch mortar is remembered as a reliable and versatile tool that filled a critical niche in infantry tactics. Its widespread use and longevity earned it a distinguished place in the history of British infantry support weapons.