bu6512 Posted 3 September , 2008 Share Posted 3 September , 2008 Hi all Sorry if this has already been asked, dose any one know what time of flares where used in the Great war and by what sides, i read somewhere the Germans had them from the outset is this true? any info much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Henschke Posted 3 September , 2008 Share Posted 3 September , 2008 'dose [sic] any one know what time of flares where [sic] used in...' What time? Any time, day or night. Where used? Any place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu6512 Posted 3 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2008 any info would be great! signaling and illumination! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 5 September , 2008 Share Posted 5 September , 2008 Hi all Sorry if this has already been asked, dose any one know what time of flares where used in the Great war and by what sides, i read somewhere the Germans had them from the outset is this true? any info much appreciated! Do you mean what type? If so then generally there Pistol fired or Rocket type flares, normally with some form of parachute. Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 5 September , 2008 Share Posted 5 September , 2008 Flares had essentially two purposes 1] To illuminate 2} To signal (often in emergency) In the first case a single white light (often magnesium based) on a parachute would be used most usually from a very light pistol or by a gun firing a variant of the navy starshell. Detested by night patrols, wiring parties and trench raiders. In the second coloured combinations would be used. Very light pistols sometimes but often rockets and rifle grenades as these could carry a mixture of coloured 'stars'. I have a photo of an SOS chart for Mg in the Ypres sector June 1918 that gives the SOS signal as "a rifle grenade bursting into 3 red stars" upon which the mg battery would apply 5 minutes rapid indirect fire on a specific location followed by a lower rate "until situation clears". Damp weather could affect rockets and cause misfires so the rifle grenade would be more reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu6512 Posted 8 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 8 September , 2008 Thanks for the info! I've always wondered if parachute flares where available in the great war as they must have been relatively new at that time? (i can't find any reference in the field service pocket book or infantry training 1914) as with most weapons of war necessity is the mother of invention! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 8 September , 2008 Share Posted 8 September , 2008 I should add that flares were sometimes dropped by aircraft, sometimes as part of a move to isolate a particular part of the front as this made it very difficult for relieving/reinforcing parties or artillery to move up 'on top' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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