WW1 WEBLEY AND SCOTT FLARE PISTOL, 1917

Pistol for firing Flares, commonly used with whistles for ordering soldiers out of their trenches and on towards the enemy (over the top), but also used for many other purposes.

Your comments:

• There was a further development of this weapon by Schermuly where the flared end of the barrel is removed and replaced by an elongated steel tube some 14" in length. A buoyant rocket projectile was loaded into the tube to which a lightweight water proof rope was attached. The rocket propelled the lightweight line across the stranded craft from shore to ship. This line was attached to a heavy duty rope which would be secured to the stranded ship and a Breeches Buoy was passed down to the stricken vessel to rescue the crew.
  .......... Pete Sharp, United Kingdom, 22nd of December 2014
  
  
• There is also a similar looking gun to this but marked as made by Woolsley 1917 and is a rarer example of these guns and they are also stamped as British military gun
  .......... martyn couchman, camborne, Cornwall, U.K, 22nd of April 2011
  
  

A0509