A mantlet was a portable wall or shelter used for stopping

projectiles A projectile is an object that is propelled by the application of an external force and then moves freely under the influence of gravity and air resistance. Although any objects in motion through space are projectiles, they are commonly found in ...

medieval warfare Medieval warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. Technological, cultural, and social advancements had forced a severe transformation in the character of warfare from antiquity, changing military tactics and the role of cavalry and artillery ( ...

. It could be mounted on a wheeled carriage, and protected one or several soldiers. In the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

a mantlet type of device was used by the French to attack barbed wire entanglements.''It Nipped Its Way Through Wire Entanglements'',

Popular Science ''Popular Science'' (also known as ''PopSci'') is an American digital magazine carrying popular science content, which refers to articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. ''Popular Science'' has won over 58 awards, incl ...

monthly, January 1919, page 30, Scanned by Google Books: https://books.google.com/books?id=HykDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30

Gun mantlet

In military use from pre-WW2 onward, a mantlet is the thick, protective steel frontal shield, usually able to elevate and depress, which houses the main gun on an armoured tank, examples being

Tiger Tank Tiger tank may refer to: *Tiger I, or ''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf. E'', a German heavy tank produced from 1942 to 1944 *Tiger II, or ''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf. B'', a German heavy tank produced from 1943 to 1945, also known as ''Kön ...

Sherman Tank } The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It w ...

and

Churchill Tank The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV (A22) Churchill was a British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, its ability to climb steep slopes, a ...

Gallery

File:Mantelets.defensifs 34.png, A wicker U-shaped mantlet on wheels. Wicker was a popular material for siege defences as it was lightweight, effective and easy to construct. The wheels add further mobility which meant that the user could move forward slowly but surely. File:Mantelets.defensifs 35.png, A wood-planked, L-shaped mantlet on wheels. Wooden-planked construction with proper joinery and even arrow slots would make this a more hard-wearing and expensive option. It would be heavier to push and would require more time and skill to construct; this might not be the sort one would use when attacking uphill. File:Mantelet.defensif.2.png, A

pavise A (or ) was an oblong shield used during the late 14th to early 16th centuries. Often large enough to cover the entire body, it was used by archers, crossbowmen, and other infantry soldiers. Etymology The name comes from the city of Pavia, Ita ...

like wicker mantlet. This is probably the cheapest and simplest option, but it would not be as hard wearing and does not offer as much cover as the other variations. File:Mantelet.defensif.3.png, A wood-planked mantlet on wheels, affording the hard protection of a wooden structure but still being mobile. The lever-like handle would allow the mantlet to be pushed along and then held upright in a stationary situation. File:Mikasa-Bridge-Painting-by-Tojo-Shotaro.png, The Japanese commonly used mantlets composed of bundles of blankets wrapped in a mattress to reduce the effects of shell shrapnel. Print of Admiral Togo aboard the ''Mikasa'' during the

Battle of Tsushima The Battle of Tsushima (Japanese:対馬沖海戦, Tsushimaoki''-Kaisen'', russian: Цусимское сражение, ''Tsusimskoye srazheniye''), also known as the Battle of Tsushima Strait and the Naval Battle of Sea of Japan (Japanese: 日 ...

(May 27, 1905). File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MW-3722-22, St. Nazaire, Zerstörer 'HMS Campbeltown'.jpg, alt=In the Royal Navy from the 18th Century onwards, hammocks and bedding were rolled up each day and stowed in netting along the ships sides to air (unless the weather was bad) and performed the function of mantlets to reduce the effect of splinters, grape and musket fire in battle. By World War I these had been replaced by splinter mats to protect exposed areas such as the bridge (nautical). These were again used in World War II. A German photo of HMS Campbeltown after the St Nazaire Raid before she exploded., In the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

from the 18th century onwards, hammocks and bedding were rolled up each day and stowed in netting along the ship's sides to air. They functioned as mantlets to reduce the effect of splinters, grape and musket fire in battle. By

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

these had been replaced by splinter mats to protect exposed areas such as the

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

. These were again used in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. A German photo of after the

St Nazaire Raid The St Nazaire Raid or Operation Chariot was a British amphibious attack on the heavily defended Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire in German-occupied France during the Second World War. The operation was undertaken by the Royal Navy (RN) a ...

before she exploded.

Gun mantlet

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading