Feb 06, 2011 the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath, rncf, was set up at holton heath, dorset in world war i to manufacture cordite for the royal navy. Books pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory. Its exactly at the royal naval cordite factory in holton health, poole. In 1914 winston churchill, then first lord of the admiralty, decided that the royal navy needed its own plant to. Report the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath. This edition has a few small corrections and updates that were added by hand in 1949 that are reflected in the text. Across the road from the labs is the main site of the royal naval cordite factory rncf. A pictorial record of the royal navy cordite factory, holton. A pictorial record of the royal navy cordite factory. Pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory holton heath by hayward, leslie. Royal navy cordite factory, holton heath, poole, dorset. The main administrative buildings at the royal naval cordite factory holton heath. Holton heath, dorset, was chosen by churchill in 1914.
The royal school of naval architecture or royal school of naval architecture and marine engineering was an institution founded in south kensington in 1864 to train naval architects. Royal naval cordite factory, holton heath, dorset the urban. A 16 minute trailer for a dvd produced by greenacre av productions, wareham, dorset, about the royal naval cordite factory, holton heath. History in poole, details the history of the royal ordnance factory, poole, poole defences in world war 2, world war defences on brownsea island. The royal naval cordite factory greenacre av productions. Report rncf royal navy cordite factory november 11. The royal naval cordite factory rncf was built between poole and wareham during the first world war to make cordite, which is classed as a propellant, not an explosive. The site was created as a royal navy propellants factory in 1939 note.
The rncf was in existence during and between wwi and wwii. In 1914, winston churchill, then first lord of the admiralty, decided that the navy needed its own protected supply of. Explosion at royal naval cordite factory, holton heath 23. Pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory. For david harriss book loan list please click here. There were a couple of links to details of the royal naval cordite factory at holton heath in dorset including details of chemical processes and structure of the factory etc. The factory was placed on a care and maintenance basis and production switched to the royal naval propellant factory caerwent in south wales which had been built during the second world war and was closely modelled on holton heath. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It was reactivated in world war ii to manufacture gun propellants for the admiralty and its output was supplemented by the royal navy. Abbreviations found in service manuals and reports are sometimes quite obvious but at other times, they are not.
Pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory holton. The gunnery pocket book historic naval ships association. Because it was written in 1923, it is short on historical fact, is more of a whoswho of the officers of the rnd and rarely mentions the ordinary royal marines and naval personnel by name. It was reactivated in world war ii to manufacture gun propellants for the admiralty and its output was. The canadian explosives limited cordite factory at nobel, ontario was designed to produce 1,500,000 lb 681 tonne of cordite per month approximately 8,170 tonnes per year. The area, now extremely overgrown and boggy is quite difficult to navigate without a map, but luckily i teamed up with a couple of local lightpainting photographers whove spent a lot of time on the site. The royal navy cordite factory, holton heath, was set up at holton heath, dorset in. How arne saved holton heath dorset life the dorset. The second edition of our holton heath history is now available from folly books.
Having previously visited the laboratories at holton heath it was a long time coming that i actually pulled my finger out and explored the rest of the royal naval cordite factory across the road from the labs is the main site of. Navybooks is the home of the prestigious warship world magazine and the. The royal navy cordite factory, holton heath, rncf, was set up at holton heath, dorset in world war i to manufacture cordite for the royal navy. Royal navy cordite factory, holton heath wikipedia. Royal naval armaments depot royal naval auxiliary service royal naval cordite factories royal naval propellant factory royal naval college royal naval. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The royal naval cordite factory rncf was established at holton heath during the first world war. I live not far from the former site of the royal naval munitions factory call sign cordite poole which as the name suggests made cordite propellant for naval guns which gave a highly explosive charge but without the big flash previously associated with high explosive charges. Here was carried out the dangerous work of preparing the propellant for shells used by the royal navy. The factory was the principal provider of explosives for the royal navy in both world wars and was the scene of a disastrous explosion in 1931. Until privatisation in 1987 they were the responsibility of the ministry of supply and later the ministry of defence. New book launch from rod hughes on the 23rd of june 1931 the people of dorset bore witness to the pure destructive force of the most explosive substance known to man, nitroglycerine. The first school of naval architecture opened in 1811 in portsmouth and closed in 1832.
Navybooks specialist publishers of royal navy books and. Royal ordnance factories rofs was the collective name of the uk governments munitions factories in and after world war ii. Royal naval cordite factory, holton heath, dorset the. A sizeable workforce would need to be mustered from the locality while ensuring that the factory did not pose a. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Royal naval armaments depot project gutenberg self. The royal navy propellant factory, caerwent, like the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath, was never part of the ministry of supplyroyal ordnance factory management chain. The following list is generally postgreat war vintage and therefore it is applicable to many of our studies, british, empire and commonwealth oriented, that is. The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority. Between 1965 and 1994, they were part of the royal naval supply and transport.
Royal naval cordite factory 1916 to 1997other books available. Media in category royal navy cordite factory, holton heath the following 3 files are in this category, out of 3 total. Slide of rcahmw colour oblique aerial photograph of royal naval propellant factory, caerwent. Inquest and inquiry ordering and viewing options this record has not been digitised and cannot be downloaded.
Royal navy cordite factory, holton heath poole, dorset. Having previously visited the laboratories at holton heath it was a long time coming that i actually pulled my finger out and explored the rest of the royal naval cordite factory. Home location history family history wareham tc volunteering contact info events t e lawrence exhibits guest book links. Watch inside saabs leading naval factory video dailymotion rally media on dailymotion. It was reactivated in world war ii to manufacture gun propellants for the admiralty and its output was supplemented by the royal navy propellant factory, caerwent. Talk to be held on cordite factory disaster bournemouth echo. Royal naval armaments depot royal naval auxiliary service royal naval cordite factories royal naval.
The following makers codes are noted on some bayonet blades and scabbards, it is quite possible that they may also appea. Pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory holton heath by leslie hayward, 9781900467018, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Dec 11, 2011 firstly some history pinched from wiki the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath, rncf, was set up at holton heath, dorset in world war i to manufacture cordite for the royal navy. This abandoned naval factory has been reborn as a new creative hub. Royal naval armaments depot royal naval auxiliary service royal naval cordite factories royal naval propellant factory royal naval college royal naval qf 4. Royal naval cordite factory holton heath by malcolm bowditch, 9780992855444, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Historic war factory site to be sold off dorset echo. Catalogue description explosion at royal naval cordite factory, holton heath 23 june 1931. Cordite was an explosive component used as a propellant. Royal naval cordite factory holton heath by malcolm bowditch. It had been produced at waltham abbey since the latter part of the 19th century but in 1914 winston churchill, then first lord of the admiralty, decided that the royal navy needed its own plant to produce high quality material with reproducible properties. As a prelude to his upcoming book on the subject, rod will unpick the myths and sift through. Inside saabs leading naval factory video dailymotion. A pictorial record of the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath.
Normal view marc view isbd view a pictorial record of the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath. Royal naval cordite factory holton heath book depository. The former royal naval cordite factory holton heath, which opened in 1916, is scheduled for the following principal reasons. A pictorial history by bowditch, malcolm, hayward, les isbn. Buy pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory holton heath first edition by hayward, leslie, bowditch, malcom ray isbn. The royal naval cordite factory rncf, holton heath opened in january 1916 and was the first purposebuilt site for cordite md production in the. Good transport links would be essential in order to bring in bulk raw materials and to dispatch the finished cordite to the various naval shell filling stations.
Tears on the heath a very dorset disaster and the community. Came across this attention grabbing headline on the english heritage website did conkers help to win the first world war. In 1914 winston churchill, then first lord of the admiralty, decided that the royal navy needed its own plant to produce high quality material. A sizeable workforce would need to be mustered from the locality while ensuring that the factory did not pose a risk by being sited too close to centres of population.
Navybooks specialist publishers of royal navy books and warship world magazine. How arne saved holton heath dorset life the dorset magazine. Royal naval cordite factory holton heath, the definitive book by malcolm bowditch and les hayward. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of todays information for tomorrow and bring history to. If you want to find out about the royal naval division, then i dont think this is the book to do it.
Public art, heritage and public features, poole pub signs, poole post boxes. The royal naval cordite factory, holton heath rncf was set up at holton heath, dorset, england, in world war i to manufacture cordite for the royal navy. Aug 31, 2015 royal naval cordite factory holton heath by malcolm bowditch, 9780992855444, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Holton heath, dorset, was chosen by churchill in 1914 for the supply of cordite for the royal navy because of its remote location. Cordite is classed as a propellant, not a high explosive. Detailed, comprehensive and wellillustrated history of rncf holton heath in dorset. This wideranging book tells the absorbing story of the royal navy cordite factory rncf, holton heath from its inception, through to 1957. She later wrote, the world was polished to a brightness by an east wind when i visited the cordite factory. A history of the naval aircraft factory, 19171956 book online.
A site at holton heath, adjacent to a railway, with a plentiful supply of water, and wellplaced for export to the principal naval dockyards, was selected in autumn 1914 by the admiralty for the manufacture of an independent supply of highquality cordite for the royal navy. Hm factory, gretna and the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath both closed after the end of the war and the gretna factory was dismantled. Oct 26, 2014 the royal naval cordite factory at holton heath. Pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory holton heath by bowditch, malcom ray and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In 1914, winston churchill, then first lord of the admiralty, decided that the navy needed its own protected supply of cordite. Royal school of naval architecture wikimili, the free. Aug 09, 2012 a 16 minute trailer for a dvd produced by greenacre av productions, wareham, dorset, about the royal naval cordite factory, holton heath.
Royal naval cordite factory, holton heath, wareham, dorset. Royal naval cordite factory holton heath a definitive book. Books pictorial record of the royal naval cordite factory holton heath free online. Royal navy cordite factory, holton heath wikimedia.
Royal naval cordite factory, holton heath wikipedia. Royal naval cordite factory holton heath by malcolm. These abbreviated designations can also appear on weapons, ammunition and equipment. Buy royal naval cordite factory holton heath by malcolm bowditch, les hayward from waterstones today. A pictorial record royal naval cordite factory holton heath. Includes approximately 300 internal photos of the factory when in production. Welcome to navybooks a leading online maritime bookseller and publisher. However, they were functionally very similar to explosive rofs. Heritage list entry summary for former royal naval cordite factory.
The royal naval cordite factory was built between poole and wareham during the first world war to make cordite. The former royal naval cordite factory site at holton heath near wareham is being sold off by the mod. Firstly some history pinched from wiki the royal navy cordite factory, holton heath, rncf, was set up at holton heath, dorset in world war i to manufacture cordite for the royal navy. A royal naval armament depot rnad was a group of armament depots dedicated to supplying the needs of the royal navy as well as the royal air force, british army and foreigncommonwealth governments. German manufacturing codes of occupied countries during world war 2 these codes may be found on various wartime small arms manufactured in nazioccupied europe during ww2. Royal naval cordite factory philip strange science and. During world war 1 the writer, rebecca west, visited the royal naval cordite factory at holton heath, on the edge of poole harbour.
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