WORK IN AMMUNITION FACTORY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4474, 5 July 1930, Page 2

WORK IN AMMUNITION FACTORY.

LOCAL RESIDENT’S EXPEDIENCE. Experiences in a munition factory during the war was the basis of ‘an interesting talk given at the Foxton Lunch Club on Thursday by Mr. F. 11. Murray. Mr. Murray said that he was a native of England hut at the outbreak of war he was residing in New Zealand and being unable to enlist for active service he signed on for munition work. He returned to England and there entered the Royal Gunpowder Factory at Waltham Abbey, the oldest gunjpowder factory in the world. Mr. Murray described the lay out of the factory and means of transport adopted for the munitions which were practically all carried by barges into the Thames. The factory grounds were live miles in extent and four miles wide. The employees were called upon to work twelve hours a day during the week and'six hours on Sundays and were allowed only one day a month off. Workmen were not allowed to leave the factory from (he time they 'commenced in the morning until they had .completed work for the day, meals being provided at the factory.

RIGID CONDITIONS. The rules under which they worked were very rigid. Naturally no smoking was allowed .but in addition to this workmen were prohibited from wearing flannelette, while all buttons had to he of bone. Safety first was the motto at the factory and this was even carried into effec-t to the smallest detail. Even in the dining rooms the knives and forks were of brass instead of .steel as a safeguard against the possibility of a spark. When entering a “danger building” workmen were compelled to change into “danger building clothes” and to put on “clean” hoots. This Avas done in a dressing room adjacent to the danger building and as the workman discarded his boots lie phi ceil his feet over a barrier into the danger building at the same time donning the “clean” boots, his discarded hoots and clothes being gathered up by an attendant, and placed in lockers. Mr. Murray’s particular duty Avas re-shaping and repairing brass reels on which the cordite* was wound. During prewar days two men and a boy had been engaged on this particular work hut during the war it Avas considered a one-man job.

IMPAIRED HEALTH.

Conditions in the compound explosives department were A 7 ery detrimental to health and workmen were engaged there only for three months at a time Avith one month off in which to recuperate, but even then it was but a short time before they deA'eloped eve, nose, month or car trouble. Consumption was common while many of the men engaged in this deportment were completely wrecked in health, many today being equally as bad as many of till* men returned from the trenches badly gassed. RATES OF PAY.

H lias often been said that munilion workers made fortunes during the war, said Mr. Murray, but peo* pic of N.Z. have little idea of the conditions under which we worked. With the outbreak of the war new machinery was installed in the taclory which turned out a far greater output. Some workers removed 2-/- and 2/0 an hour, but t hey had lo work two shifts a day and spend considerable sums in an endeavour to repair their broken health. They deserved every penny they earned, was his opinion of the munition workers. Speaking for himself, he said that during his operations in the factory, extending over three years he reeeivi d the sum of £.'! S/- per week and on! ol that had to ptay income tax. Income lax was payable quarterly amt Mr. Murray, on one occasion had to add l()d to a week’s wages 1" pay the quarter’s tax. It cost him £2 per week to live, eggs being retailed at that time at S/- per do/.en while New Zealand apples were not procurable under 3/li and often ;■)/(! per pound.

THE A IR. RAIDS. ■Referring lo the air raids on London, Mr. .Murray said that the M all hum Abbey factory was much sought after by the enemy and continually hunted for during Zeppelin i*iii«ls. lie produced photos and pieces of Zeppelins brought down din ing the raids which were inspected by members with interest and referred to the ghastliness of witnessing men burnt to death, even though they were enemies, when a Zeppelins was brought down.

Fortunately, he said, the factory was very difficult to locate from the air and escaped destruction, but nevertheless had one or two narrow escapes. On one occasion bombs tell in the grounds but luckily in a marshy spot where they did not explode.

The German spy service was second only to that of the British, maid the speaker, and due to this Diet the workers of the factory had n very unpleasant experience on July 7th, 1«)17.

I he siren sounded suddenly giving warning of an air raid.' Ma«liines were stopped and everyone left the building and made for dugouts and whatever shelter they could gel. From beneath the shelter o! some trees in the grounds Mr. Murray saw twenty-four enemy 'planes reeonnoitering overhead. No bombs were dropped, however, and it was afterwards ascertained’that the ’planes, learning that practically all 'the British machines had left for France on the occasion of a visit of the King to the trenches, slipped over for the purpose of obtaining photos to assist the Zeppelins in their raids. As a tribute to

the enterprise of the press on that occasion and also of the daring of the enemy aviators.

PRESS ENTERPRISE.

Mr. Murray said that the following issue of the Pictorial Press contained photos of the 24 ’planes flying over St. Paul’s Cathedral. Mr. Murray said that they Avere all very frightened as to the ultimate result of the war in 1917 but they had been brought through the dark days by the courageous resourcefulness of the British statesman and generals, their splendid organisation, a Navy and Mercantile Marine and an army that all worked harmoniously and perfectly together. In conclusion he urged upon his listeners to, in all things, place N.Z. first and Britain second and whenever possible to lmy British goods. (Applause).