Special projectiles were designed for use with the Stokes mortar and the Livens’ projector. Thermit was used only in Stokes’ projectiles. The Livens’ projectile was filled with inflammable units (chlorated jute) immersed in a light oil mixture. Thrown from a projector into the enemy’s trench, it explodes, giving a large flash and scattering the burning units over an area of forty yards. The Mark II projectile, designed for general incendiary effect against readily inflammable material, consists of an altered 8-inch Livens’ gas projectile filled with chlorated jute units impregnated with solid oil and immersed in a spontaneously inflammable oil. After a short delay, these units burst into flame and burn vigorously for several minutes. It is almost impossible to extinguish them without large quantities of water. Such bombs have only a very limited use, so that it is questionable if they are really worth while.
Fig. 111.—German 8"
Incendiary Bullet.
Fig. 112.—German Incendiary
Blue Pencil.
German Blue Pencil
A very interesting and curious device was developed by the Germans in the form of an incendiary pencil. Similar in appearance to a common blue pencil, sharpened at one end, they are distinguished only by a small, almost imperceptible, point placed on the outside 11 mm. from the unsharpened end. They are 175 mm. long, 11.1 mm. in diameter and weigh 12 to 13 grams. The interior of the pencil contains a glass bulb, with two compartments filled with sulfuric acid and a celluloid tube filled with potassium chlorate. The glass bulb ends in a slender point; when this is broken the acid comes into contact with the chlorate and causes an explosion. The two materials are separated by a layer of clay, which causes a delayed action of about 30 minutes. The operator breaks the point of bulb, buries the pencil vertically in the inflammable material and then has half an hour in which to get away, before any possibility of a fire. He cuts the pencil with a knife 2 cm. from the point, so that if caught he has the appearance of simply sharpening a pencil.
Flaming Gun
Among the unsuccessful weapons of the late war, the liquid fire gun or Flammenwerfer, as the German called it, is probably the most interesting. Its origin, according to a German story, was due to a mere accident. A certain officer, during peace maneuvers, was ordered to hold a fort at all cost. During the sham fight, having employed all the means at his disposal, he finally called out the fire brigade and directed streams of water upon the attacking force. Afterwards, during the criticism of the operations in the presence of the Kaiser, he claimed that he had subjected the attackers to streams of burning oil. The Kaiser immediately inquired whether such a thing would be possible, and was assured that it was entirely feasible.
