WATCH: British army deploy flares during night training in stunning video

The flares are small plastic tubes with a pullstring that, when pulled, shoots a rocket propelled flare approx. 800m into the air, which then burns with a bright orange-red colour for 50 seconds whilst dropping to the ground with a small parachute.

It allows infantry units to light an area up in a battle about 1km squared so as to expose the enemy they are engaging.

Although technically called Illumination Flares, military personnel refer to them as Shamoolies.