Ministry of Munitions
The Ministry of Munitions was a British government body created during the First World War to co-ordinate the production and distribution of munitions for the war effort. This was necessary in response to the Shell Crisis of 1915, when there was much public criticism of the shortage of shells.[1]
The materials, the production of which the Ministry of Munitions brought under its control, covered nearly 100 main categories, and included not only the obvious munitions such as ammunition and weapons and raw materials such as iron and steel, but also included plaster slabs, gas masks, waste paper and boxes. The Ministry took control of all of the factories (was there some exception for the Royal Factories?).
Ultimately, the Ministry assumed responsibility for all supplies of materials, it controlled distribution of raw materials to non-munition as well as munition trades, thereby bringing together all industries involved in the production of munitions (either directly or indirectly) under the control of one department.[2]
In its first few months the Ministry initiated a large number of national factories so that by the end of December 1915 there were 73 new sites in addition to the Royal Factories at Enfield Lock, Farnborough, Waltham Abbey and Woolwich. These included[3]:
- Aero Engine Factories
- Anti Gas Factory
- Balloon Factory
- Box Repair Factory
- Casting Shop
- Chemical Shell Assembling Station
- Chemical Warfare Factory
- Concrete Slab Factory
- Cylinder Depot
- Government Cartridge Factories
- Gun Carriage Repair Factory
- Government Rolling Mills
- H. M. Cotton Waste Mills
- H. M. Explosive Factories
- Machine Gun Factory
- Mine Sinker Assembly Station
- Manufacturing Warehouse
- National Aircraft Factories
- National Ball Bearing Factory
- National Box Factories
- National Cartridge and Box Repair Factories
- National Cartridge Factory - see National Components Factory
- National Components Factory
- National Filling Factories
- National Fuse Factory
- National Fuse Rectification Factory
- National Gauge Factories
- National Ordnance Factories
- National Projectile Factories
- Non-Returnable Box Depots
- National Rifle Factories
- National Sawmills
- National Small Arms Ammunition Factory
- National Shell Factories
- National Tool Factory
- Optical Munitions Factory
- Photographic Lens Factory
- Radiator Factory
- Rolling Mills and Blast Furnaces
- Royal Aircraft Establishment
- Royal Ordnance Factory
- Salvage Depots
- Small Tools Factory
- Steel Billet Breaking Factory
- Timber Drying Kiln
- Trench Warfare Filling Factory
By the end of the war, the number of national factories had increased to over 218 new or adapted factories, producing every type of munition but also items such as ball-bearings and concrete slabs.
1921 Royal Ordnance took over the filling factories from the Ministry which was dissolved.
During WWII, the Ministry of Supply was created with such responsibilities, co-ordinating the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces; there was also a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained responsibilities for supplying the Royal Navy.[4]
1915 26th May. The department was created and Lloyd George, was appointed as Minister. [5]
1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of Paraffin Commercial and Agricultural Motors, Tractors, Ploughs, Sprayers, etc. see the 1917 Red Book under 'M. O. M.'.
1921 31st March. The department came to an end. [6]