Development of the 5cm LeGrW started in 1934, and it was adopted for service in 1936. By 1943, the LeGrW 36 was determined to be too complex for the intended role and fired a too light of a bomb to inflict enough damage on target, so production was terminated. Gradually withdrawn from front-line service, the leGrW 36 continued in use with second-line and garrison units until the end of hostilities in 1945.*
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Designed for high angle fire only (not less than 42 degrees), it is muzzle loaded and trigger fired. The weapon's major drawbacks in service were it's inadequate range and limited effectiveness of it's ammunition. It is interesting to note that a total of 555,959 GrW 36 rounds were expanded during the French Campaign of 1940, and at that time, a German Infantry Division had eighty-four 5cm mortars assigned. The intended role was to engage pockets of resistance that were beyond hand grenade throwing range.