The Soldier at the Western Front – The Use of Flamethrower
Source 4: Bernhard Reddemann: History of the German Flamethrower troop

Reddemann, a former fire chief of Posen and leader of a pioneer company of the territorial forces, started to research on devices to spray burning fluids in 1907 and designed since 1912/13 prototypes for two different sizes of flamethrowers. Because of his participation in the development of this cruel melee weapon and the connected military utilization of fire brigades he is one of the most controversial persons in the history of German fire brigades.
In the following excerpt from his notes – the “History of the German flamethrower troop” –Reddemann described the first attack with flamethrowers by the Germans on the 26th February 1915 at Malancourt near Verdun.

“It was an immediately success when at the designated moment twelve streams of flames roar with loud hissing behind the enemies parapet. Loud screams of pain among the enemies on the other side. Who wasn’t set on fire jumps backwards and out of the trench. Headless they run across country without cover. There is no time to retreat through the connecting trenches. Just away, away from the horrible flames! They leave all behind, even their rifles! Unconcerned about the fire from the machine guns of our infantry they run across the open field. This is by far not so bad as the cruel death by burning […] The prisoners had all been completely confused. An officer among them said: ‚C’était l’enfer!‘ …’This was Hell!’ … after this excellent attack the flamethrowers received a lot of appreciation from all sides.”

Bernhard Reddemann: Geschichte der deutschen Flammenwerfer-Truppe, Berlin 1933, p. 13.

Reddemann: Geschichte der deutschen Flammenwerfer-Truppe (2.0 MB) (in German)