The following description of British methods of marking routes at night is taken from Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 16, Jan. 14, 1943. [DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

AIDS TO MOVEMENTS AT NIGHT The following two methods of marking lanes through minefields, and routes for troops moving through the desert have been recommended as being most effective. They are simple to construct, and are not apt to be misunderstood. a. For Marking Lanes through Minefields Remove the lid from an ordinary tin can, and fill it with Diesel oil to within one-half inch of the top. Fix a piece of wire screen over the top and run several pieces of ordinary twine through it. This twine should project about three-quarters of an inch over the screening. The lamp will burn for 8 to 10 hours after being lit. The lamp is then covered with a larger tin can. Cut an arrow in the side of the larger tin can, and cover on the inside with a strip of oiled paper. The arrow is obscured from air observation by means of a strip of metal. Experiments have shown that the light can be plainly seen at night at a distance of 150 yards. The lamps should be staggered on either side of the lane. b. For Marking Routes for Troops Remove the lid of a gas or water can, half-fill with sand, and saturate the sand with undiluted gas. When lighted, this will burn for about 1 1/2 hours. It can be seen for about 550 yards.

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