Did the British Army use flamethrowers?

[Havrincourt]

After all my research and reading about the great war, I've often wondered if our troops used flamethrowers at anytime during the war, I suppose if they might - it would be in the later stages

Thoughts or evidence anyone?

Andy

[Terry Carter]

A quick reply .......... yes they did.

A contraption called the Livens Flamenwerther (or something similar) was used in High Wood in August 1916. It sent a stream of burning crude oil over into the German lines.

Terry

[Coldstreamer]

Hello

which units got issued with them?

And silly question (watched too many films) would it explode if hit by a stray round ?

Ian

[Havrincourt]

I'm aware of the Livens projectors , I believe that they threw a drum filled with liquid , I've seen that the Germans & French used infantry armed with flamethrowers , I wonder if we did the same?

Thanks

Andy

[gporta]

There ia an interesting article here and a bit of information on the Livens flamethowers here . It seems to have been a weapon mostly favoured by the Germans, rather than the Allies.

Gloria

[Coldstreamer]

Could have used one earlier to get the BBQ going.....

[Havrincourt]

No trouble at the moment with the BBQ in sunny Yorkshire

Thanks for those links, the livens did not appear to be too trust worthy, but you can see that it made a great leap in the use of heavy mortars.

Has anyone got any of the eye witness reports or war diary comments made about the flame attack on High Wood?

Thanks

Andy