Desmond7 Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 In the chapter notes of a book I am reading there is a description of Livens Projectors. The note further states that other 'ammunition' for these projectors included raw sewage!! So .. anyone know of the British army shooting the proverbial into the German lines? And was it allowed under the rules of war? Anyone else heard of this diabolical method of warfare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 Knowing Livens, it does not surprise me. I think sometimes non-lethal but stinking substances were tried to make the Germans put on their masks while being attacked. What is the book? Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 Des Although not heard of by me before in WW1 times, was it not a common tactic of Medieval soldiers in seiges to fire all manner of horrible stuff at the beseiged in order to try and inflict disease upon them Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markinbelfast Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 I remember reading someone in the 15th Rifles writing that that the enemy "threw everything but their shi:" at them on the 1st July. should have bought that book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 10 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2005 War Letters to a Wife - Rowland Feilding. Magnificent book by the way. Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 puts the bloody pigeons out of work,i wonder how many loaders there were Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 Des A interesting thought, but their is no evidence for it I'm afraid. The amount of effort required to mount a projector attack was quite prodigious and this alone militates against it. There is certainly no mention of it in any of the Special Brigade War Diaries, nor in any of the personal accounts by SB men that I have read. A tongue in cheek comment or the rumour mill at work perhaps? Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionboxer Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 During WW11 British and Gurkha defenders of a hill threw tins of Bully Beef and sh*t at the Japs when their ammo ran short. Lionboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 I think that I read in Michael Bentine's memoirs that he was an RAF officer in WW2. He mentioned that the Australian members of his Squadron thought that it was a great joke to also drop the contents of ther "Elsan" (chemical toilet) when they dropped their bombs on Germany. They had to be ordered to stop this because the Germans complained to the Swiss that the Aussie bomber crews were in breach of the Geneva Convention! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 10 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2005 Thanks all Must admit I was surprised to read this too. Jonathan Walker who edited this book has some really exhaustive and well researched chapter notes but this one really stood out when I read it. Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 10 August , 2005 Share Posted 10 August , 2005 I think that I read in Michael Bentine's memoirs that he was an RAF officer in WW2. Go on I'll say it Michael Bentines Potty Time I'll get me coat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Always wondered what the term "ammunition dump" really meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 The urge to lay a log for Fritz must have been nearly unbearable, a sort of variant of "dig for victory". Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Surprised nobody thought of using group flatulence for chemical warfare purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 it confuses the training manuals,you have one operator and 45 loaders,the operator doubles up as a loader as well,one things for sure,there would be no shell crisis and it takes german rounds as well,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Surprised nobody thought of using group flatulence for chemical warfare purposes. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Don't be silly A package in a mortar is one thing, synchronised guffing is just too ridiculous Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 11 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2005 This all begs another question:- Have we been underestimating the combat ready role of the 's..t wallah' all along? Did the much maligned sanitary corporal and his unenvied team do much more than play their 'health and safety' role? Were they, in fact, 'Special Faeces' ... think on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 Were they, in fact, 'Special Faeces' ... think on. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Plllease?!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 And I suppose you could fit the device with a fan for better distribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 so you would be unloading what everyones unloaded this subject stinks hilareous post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 11 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2005 See note 57 guys ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 12 August , 2005 Share Posted 12 August , 2005 Cold tar ?? Cold tar??? Could we not even warm it up for this...after all the "raw sewage" will still have been warm....surely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 12 August , 2005 Share Posted 12 August , 2005 A whole new meaning,to the term chemical warfare,if you are dropping the contents of an Elsen on the enemy's head. Having been a kid who used to do loads of caravaning with his family,in the 70's,i can see why this was thought of as a breach of the Geneva convention. Use to horrify the hell out of me,i can tell you. I read once(escapes me where at the mo),of a Sergeant on a catapult,who used to lob over a couple of tins of Bully and Jam,then chuck in the odd live Grenade,just to keep everyone awake in the opposing lines. I would think that if the Chinese and Indian take away,and a good Doner Kebab,had been around pre WW1,and launched by Livens Projectors on a Saturday or Sunday morning,then the war could have been shortened by many months,or years. I used to live across the road from a sewage works,and can verify this fact. All the best. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 12 August , 2005 Share Posted 12 August , 2005 At the risk of sounding pedantic, the author doesn't give his source for cold tar and sewage. Good for a laugh, but no evidence. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 12 August , 2005 Share Posted 12 August , 2005 At the risk of sounding pedantic, the author doesn't give his source for cold tar and sewage. Good for a laugh, but no evidence. Terry Reeves <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree with Terry - if I may pour further cold water onto the sewage - it is rather carelessly worded and not a helpful footnote. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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