Has anyone heard of and can confirm by quoting source(s) that the British Government were so concerned that the Germans might use flamethrowers against their troops in WW2, that they threatened to retaliate by using banned or unorthodox weapons such as gas/chemicals/biological ?
Cheers.

I think Churchill was talking of using gas/chemicals in reply to the V1 & V2 threat

How 'banned' were they back then?
I'd thought all sides had the capability but chose not to use them more for tactical reasons, their overall long-term ineffectiveness and potential escalatory effect?

Cheers,
Adam.

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It's only the Internet.

I have heard that England had (if things went badly) planned to use gas to repel an invasion.
Some more thought for the Germans planning any invasion.
I would too, so no big deal.
Americans had Mustard gas sunk off shore in Italy.
I believe many participants had it handy, in case someone else..... let that "Genie" out of the bottle.
Glad no one did.

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There's one way to find out if a man is honest-ask him. If he says "Yes", you know he's a crook. Groucho Marx

There are no sources, because it didn't happen.

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if in doubt....Panic!!!!

Yes, I too had heard of the possible employment of dubious weaponry by Great Britain against Germany for their use of the V weapons, but I thought that it also applied if German used flamethrowers, too.

Insofar as it being stated here in this Forum that the threat cannot have been made because "it didn't happen" ; if one takes this to mean that the threat was not made, then will the party who made this comment please by all means attempt to prove a negative, since if you are able to do this, then you will be the first person ever to do so ! If, however, you mean that the German's did NOT use flamethrowers, then surely this validates that the threat WAS made just as much as it rejects it ?

I thought that virtually all side used flamethrowers during WWII.

The use of various gases was widely expected but, as shown in WWI, the technology of the time made it a highly inefficient and ill-guided weapon. I believe that the fear of retaliation prevented use against civilian populations.

As is now widely known, Churchill considered the use of anthrax only if such a weapon were first used by Germany. Usage may have briefly been mooted in the early, rumour-driven stage of the V2 when the rockets' warhead was belived to be 7 tons and that each one could kill 4,000 people (!). It was quickly realised that in actuality the V2 could be 'lived with'......

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Actually 'bosworth gannaway' I'm still awaiting for you to prove a positive in that the British did make such a threat in the 'Tanks in WW2' forum.
I suspect that's why you've turned up here, in a vain attempt to find some sort of evidence.



It validates nothing, as you know full well.

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if in doubt....Panic!!!!

You are quite right, I did read this post in another forum ( it has appeared in several, actually )and whilst I find it hard to believe, it does spark up the imagination, hence my putting it in here. As it happens, I think that the person who submitted it elsewhere has got in wrong and that it probably does refer to a threat made against Germany for their use of V weapons, but I would like to get more evidence one way or another.
As to your first paragraph, I am afraid that I haven't a clue as to what you mean, so I can't help you on that.
nuvolari

Having gone to the forum you mentioned, I now understand what you mean ! This is definitely where I read it first last week and it certainlky seems that poor,old Bossworth Ganaway is getting some stick for his post !! If he can't prove it, then I doubt that I can, so shan't even bother anymore now - mind you, it does postulate an intriguing question !

The British disposed of their gas stocks by sea dumping them in the Irish Sea. They are still being washed up along the coast to this day.