大象传媒

My WW2 experience in a cordite factory
By - Mrs J.F. Roberts - Lillian.

I had moved from Oldham in Lanc's and essential work in a cotton mill, to Hull in York's and a job in a Dairy also classed as essential, to live with my boyfriends parents, prior to marrying their son Freddie, who was serving with the RAF. He was fortunate to get seven days Christmas leave, and we married on Christmas eve 1943. We were going to marry Christmas Day, but the Vicar did not do Weddings on 25/12/. It was a Sat. too, and Freddie returned back on the Monday.

His father not many weeks after, got another job with cottage as lock keeper - Length man on the no longer in use for boats, Chesterfield Canal, Called Top locks, as the cottage was near the summit, or top pound, and as we had no home of our own I had to move with them, and got another essential Job in a Munitions Factory at Ranskil Notts. We had to do a safety course, and at the end, and before being put to work, the instructor took us all into a field to show us all just how volatile the cordite, we were to work with, was.

He had a great heap piled up and proceeded to lay a trail of cordite from it to act a s a fuse, the end of which was very very close in our estimation, he assured us we were quite safe where we were, but we must stay still. Having said that he struck a match and touched it the this line of cordite, It splutted into a flame that set off racing through the grass to this great heap stacked there, and there was a great whoosh, then all I could hear was laughter, everyone except me thought it very funny, they were all still stood there, I must have been a 100 yards away, and still running.

It was difficulty to get to work from the lock keepers cottage, it being well away from the beaten track, so I was staying with Freddie's Grandma who lived in Brace Bridge Bungalows,Worksop, and as I had to work night shifts, and arrived home in the dark most times, I had difficulty finding the key hole,so I popped a small torch in my bag so as not to disturb Grandma, as I had done on occasions.

This was all right until the end of my shift, when passing out through the exit an alarm went off, and the security guard pulled me to one side and told me to empty my bag, I tipped it out onto the table, and the guard said oh my, oh my. what's this. It's a torch I said, beginning to be annoyed as there was not much time to the bus going, and a hell of a place to get away from without. The guard said " Sorry, You will have to see the boss man." and escorted me into another office.

He explained what it was about, and gave this other guy the torch. Who proceeded to take it apart bit by bit, " what are you doing with this?" he asked. I told him about my difficulty finding the key hole. He said that was no excuse. Torches were band, Strictly a no no. I will have to investigate how it was not found on your way in, miss use could blow the place up. You could be a spy, and the torch could be a camera, or a timer devise to blow the place up. I'll keep this. Do not bring another. Think yourself lucky you are not being locked up.
And you look like walking home cos your bus has gone.

It was only a few weeks later, that we had V.E. Day. The factory closed, I was expecting my first baby anyway. So finished up on the Stool for pregnant workers, picking dodgey peas off the convaour belt
at Batchilors Pea Factory in Worksop.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.