While German medium and heavy mine throwers were large and heavy weapons their 76-mm colleague was much more compact and mobile. As all German mine throwers were fairly short range weapons (maximum range between 950 - 1050 meters) the mobility often made the difference for them either being in there were needed or not. While its ammunition lacked the punch needed for taking out field works the 76-mm mine thrower proved good infantry support weapon. Even compared to modern mortars it was quite versatile, as its newer version was capable delivering also direct fire (which is impossible to most mortars even today). Due to this capability and shortage of other suitable weaponry before end of World War 1 German Army started using its 76-mm mine throwers as also antitank-weaponry. Presumably Erhardt designed this mine thrower, which was developed further during World War 1.

Finland bought 76-mm German mine throwers in late 1918 from the Germans and these become the main mine thrower type in use of Finnish military. 1^st of January 1919 Finnish Army had 24 mine throwers, from which 18 were these German 76-mm light mine throwers. Most if not all mine German 76-mm mine throwers used in Finland were n/A (neues Art = new model) version, which was capable to also direct fire when equipped with direct-fire carriage. They could be relatively easily manhandled from one emplacement to another while on wheels. Like many field artillery pieces of its time they had hydraulic buffer and spring recuperator. Rifling of the barrel had 6 grooves, which were in 7-degree angle. Minimum shooting range depended if the mortar was placed on fortification mount (in other words: without wheels), if it was on indirect fire carriage (on wheels) or on direct fire carriage. For example indirect fire carriage offered minimum elevation of 12 degrees, which limited minimum shooting range on flat terrain to 600 meters.

During World War 1 German ammunition inventory included 33 ammunition models for this weapon. While German ammunition included also gas- and message-shells (and these were included also to Finnish manuals) Finnish Army did not have them. Finnish Army used high explosive shells and likely also armour piercing high explosive shells since Finnish military intended them to be used also as antitank weapons. Flare- and smoke shells may have also been used, but none of sources verify their actual use or opposite. Ammunition used in Finland was German-made. HE-projectiles were 28-cm long and contained both primary propellant charge (located in cavity inside base of the projectile) and explosive charge (weighting 360 - 580 grams). Two fuse versions existed for HE-shells: Concussion fuse (which detonated on impact) and combined time delay + concussion fuse, which could be set to time delay settings of 7 - 24 seconds.

As mentioned these HE-shells contained primary propellant charges I and II (containing 11 grams of nitroglyserin gunpowder 13). Secondary propellant charges III - V were separate and added when needed. Each secondary propellant charge contained 3.5 grams of the same explosive. Explosive used in the HE-shells was usually either perdite or donarite. APHE-shell was O = Olga in German naming system, it was manufactured 1917 - 1918. APHE-shell had tip made from hard steel and contained concussion fuse with short time delay (intended for exploding it only after entering armour vehicle or other similar hard target). It was 24.75-cm long and in favourable conditions was capable penetrating 15-mm steel plate. Flare-shell was B = Berta in German naming system. It had small parachute to increase time of illumination that it provided. The duration of illumination was about 20 seconds and it provided light to area 500 - 1000 meters in diameter (size of illuminated area depended elevation used while firing it). Smoke-shell had been equipped with fuse specially designed for it and contained 100 grams of mix containing blackpowder and pitch. Ammunition was packed into wooden boxes each containing four or six shells.

German 76-mm mine throwers remained in use of Finnish Army until 81-mm mortars replaced them in training use in late 1920's. Presumably Finnish military got rid of them in early 1930's. According Finnish Army doctrine of 1920's besides their main use as fire-support of infantry these weapons could be used also as antitank-weaponry. While 76-mm mine thrower was important weapon for Finnish Army in 1920's its historical role was minuscule - they were not yet in Finnish use during Civil War and were already long gone by World War 2.

Practically all countries taking part in World War 1 soon learned the effectiveness of German "minenwerfer" and this sparked development of their own mine throwers - and Russia was not exception to this. During the war Russian military introduced variety of mine throwers in several calibers. 91-mm seems to have been one of the most common. During Finnish Civil War in year 1918 Finnish White Army succeeded capturing four Russian 91-mm mine throwers GR of two versions - presumably from Russian troops disarmed in Pohjanmaa region. The captured GR mine throwers were two separate models - model 1915 and model 1916. From these two versions at least m/1916 had been manufactured by Kone ja silta Oy (Machine and Bridge Ltd) in Helsinki, Finland. Main difference between the two versions is the mount - m/1915 has simple plate-like platform designed for carrying the weapon from one place to another, while m/1916 has much more elegant mount with wheels, which crew to pull it in suitable terrain. Ammunition used with both versions seems to have been the same.

Finnish White Army was swift to put the four captured mine throwers to good use. Artillery school formed in Pietarsaari trained them crews creating a unit, which was simply named Miinanheitinyksikkö (literally translated: Mine Thrower Unit) and sent to Vilppula front (north from city of Tampere) in 21^st of February 1918. This unit armed with four captured 91-mm mine throwers had about 40 men of recruited personnel and was lead by Swedish captain Ekström. The unit fought as two sections. One of these sections was commanded by gunner Paalanen and fought in Ruovesi area, while the second detachment commanded by Swedish ensign Schwererin fought in Vilppula. Each of the mine throwers had a six-man crew. While Miinanheitinyksikkö was the only mine thrower unit of Finnish White Army it's effectiveness proved short-lived for very practical reason - the unit run out of ammunition soon after Tampere was captured 6^th of April 1918. Due to their small number and source of ammunition 91-mm mine throwers don't seem to have seen much use after Finnish Civil War. Nowadays two of these weapons are in Finnish museums - m/1915 in Finnish Artillery Museum and m/1916 in Finnish Military Museum.

- 170 mm mine thrower: This is 170-mm Erhardt mine thrower m/1912. Finnish Army seems to have had two of these German medium mine throwers. Just like the much numerous 76-mm mine throwers also these were likely bought from the Germans late year 1918. Unlike its smaller calibre counterparts this weapon was capable destroying also fortified buildings, bunkers and other similar targets with its 50-kg projectiles. However it was also much less mobile (weight in action 586 kg) and had considerably lower rate of fire (maximum rate of fire was 35 shots/hour - in other words about one shot in every two minutes). As usual the range of this weapon was rather short (maximum range 1,040 meters) due to low muzzle velocity (110 meters/second). These weapons were removed from inventory of Finnish Army before World War 2. Nowadays one of these weapons in collections of Tykistömuseo (Finnish Artillery Museum) in city of Hämeenlinna.

Source materials used for making these mortar pages listed on bottom of MINETHROWERS AND MORTARS PART 7.