Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Sauterelle

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Type
  
Crossbow

In service
  
1915–1916

Produced
  
1915-1916

Place of origin
  
France

Wars
  
World War I

Sauterelle

Used by
  
France United Kingdom Germany

The Arbalète sauterelle type A, or simply Sauterelle (French for grasshopper), was a bomb-throwing crossbow used by French, British, and possibly the German forces on the Western Front during World War I. It was designed to throw a hand grenade in a high trajectory into enemy trenches. It was initially dismissed by the French Army but General Henri Berthelot thought it had practical value.

It was lighter and more portable than the Leach Trench Catapult, but less powerful. It weighed 24 kg (53 lb) and could throw an F1 grenade or Mills bomb 110–140 m (120–150 yd).

The Sauterelle replaced the Leach Catapult in British service until they were replaced in 1916 by the 2 inch Medium Trench Mortar and Stokes mortar.

References

Sauterelle Wikipedia