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At the outbreak of World War One, the multinational mining community in Nenthead, high up in the remote Pennine Dales, found themselves stranded as their countries became enemies overnight. The Germans, Belgians, Italians and Englishmen who had worked harmoniously together extracting zinc; found their friendships and loyalties tested, as colleagues were interned or volunteered to join the army.

Zinc was an essential component of brass, which was used in shell and cartridge cases as part of batteries and in the galvanising process to rust proof steel, amongst other things. It was an essential metal for the war effort, and Alston Moor has vast quantities of the mineral.

To extract the ore a multinational community had sprung up that became a microcosm of the wider conflict played out between nations on the outbreak of war. The Belgians owned the mines and managed them, the Germans brought their expertise in chemical and mechanical processing to extract the ore and the Italians were leaders in hydraulics and compressed air used to power the rock drills. With the outbreak of war they were marooned and through no fault of their own became pawns in a global power game.

The Germans were interned, the Belgians were desperate to return home to fight – some did and never returned – and the Italians were left in limbo until they knew which side their country would support. Throw into the mix an Austrian 'Oompah Oompah Band' that was stranded in the town when hostilities commenced, and life suddenly was anything but normal.

Despite this work continued at the mine, even though lines of credit dried up, communication with head office was cut and relationships changed overnight. The British government stepped in to keep the mine open, as it was soon realised how important the zinc was for the war effort, but life would never be the same again for the international workforce of 180 men, who had once been part of the local community.

Location: Nenthead, Alston Cumbria CA9 3NP
Image: Ore dressing plant, courtesy of Alastair Robertson

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