expatscot
HMS Vindictive Flamethrower Shadow
I originally posted this as "What is it?", but confess it would have been nigh-on impossible to get right.
This is the shadow of the flamethrower mounted on HMS Vindictive for the Zeebrugge raid in 1918, preserved at the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester.
One of two flamethrowers made by J Morris & Sons, Manchester, and adapted for use at sea, it was designed to assist the assault on the mole (a kind of large pier) at Zeebrugge whilst HMS Vindictive lay alongside, discharging her raiding parties onto the mole. The ship was also fitted with an 11-inch howitzer, two 7.4-inch howitzers, 8 trench mortars, two 2-pounder pom-poms and 6 lewis guns along with significant structural modifications to assist landing on the high mole and protect the crew from gunfire.
The assault was designed to disrupt the use of the port and it's neighbour Ostend by German submarines and destroyers which lay inland and came through the ports to attack Allied shipping in the English Channel and the North Sea. The plan was to sink blockships in the narrow lock in Zeebrugge, but this meant disabling the defenses to allow the blockships to get through - the assault on the heavily defended mole was the primary part of this.
Submarines, destroyers and small motor boats were involved in the raid as well as the battle-cruiser HMS Vindictive, but ultimately the raid failed, or was at best partially successful. The blockships made it to the lock area, but were unable to seal the channel.
The bravery of the men who took part is reflected in the fact that ELEVEN Victoria Crosses, Britain's highest military award, were given for the actions at Zeebrugge and Ostend.
HMS Vindictive Flamethrower Shadow
I originally posted this as "What is it?", but confess it would have been nigh-on impossible to get right.
This is the shadow of the flamethrower mounted on HMS Vindictive for the Zeebrugge raid in 1918, preserved at the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester.
One of two flamethrowers made by J Morris & Sons, Manchester, and adapted for use at sea, it was designed to assist the assault on the mole (a kind of large pier) at Zeebrugge whilst HMS Vindictive lay alongside, discharging her raiding parties onto the mole. The ship was also fitted with an 11-inch howitzer, two 7.4-inch howitzers, 8 trench mortars, two 2-pounder pom-poms and 6 lewis guns along with significant structural modifications to assist landing on the high mole and protect the crew from gunfire.
The assault was designed to disrupt the use of the port and it's neighbour Ostend by German submarines and destroyers which lay inland and came through the ports to attack Allied shipping in the English Channel and the North Sea. The plan was to sink blockships in the narrow lock in Zeebrugge, but this meant disabling the defenses to allow the blockships to get through - the assault on the heavily defended mole was the primary part of this.
Submarines, destroyers and small motor boats were involved in the raid as well as the battle-cruiser HMS Vindictive, but ultimately the raid failed, or was at best partially successful. The blockships made it to the lock area, but were unable to seal the channel.
The bravery of the men who took part is reflected in the fact that ELEVEN Victoria Crosses, Britain's highest military award, were given for the actions at Zeebrugge and Ostend.