mortar fire• Soldiers had parachuted across, but mortar fire had seen them off.• I gave no thought to this until heavy mortar fire began to hit extremely close.• Our firebase had been taking mortar fire from a wooded area some distance away.• A great crowdcollected, not withstanding the concentration of the mortar fire; and yet there were no remembered casualties.• The mortar fire went on relentlessly, and showers of earth went up.• Their car came under mortar fire and they had to cross five militarycheckpoints.• Each time we came in there was mortar fire and plumes of smoke.• Around dawn they were hit with mortar fire.