WW1: Not So Quiet On The Western Front!· Folge 113
Episode 113: Flamethrowers in WW1: How Effective Were They?
Sonntag, 1. Februar 2026 · 55 min
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Shownotes
In 1915 the German Army introduced the world to the power of the flamethrower - but by 1916 the Allies had caught up with their own weapons. As the war continued flame stopped being a novelty and instead became a system - specialist troops, evolving equipment and developing tactics. We delve into that story in this episode and ask whether the flame thrower was a weapon whose bark was worse than its bite?
Introduction: Beyond the Novelty
Mechanics of Fire: Pressure vs. Mobility
The Decline of Fixed Flame Projectors
The British Exception: Why the BEF Said No
Bark vs. Bite: Overcoming the Fear Factor
The Rise of the WEX: Single-Man Portability
Vulnerability of the Operator
"Shoot the Funny Looking Stuff First"
French Doctrine: The Mopping Up Weapon
German Stormtroopers and Counter-Attacks
The Death’s Head Elite and Prisoner Execution
A Soldier’s Perspective: "Roasted Like a Goose"
The Future That Never Was: Plan 1919
Final Verdict: Was it Worth the Effort?
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Credits:
- Host: Dr. Spencer Jones & Dan Hill
- Production: Linus Klaßen
- Editing: Hunter Christensen
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