Australian Munitions Workers: a Virtual Cemetery - Find a Grave

Advertisement

See all by geoffrey gillon

A Virtual Cemetery created by geoffrey gillon

Australian Munitions Workers

The British Government requested skilled workers for munitions work from the Dominions and Colonies to make up the shortages caused by military service in Britain.Australian War Memorial's Research Centre does not hold files relating to munitions workers and other skilled workers sent to the United Kingdom during the First World War. The National Archives of Australia has the service records for these men in the series MT1139/1 which consists of personnel dossiers for men enlisted under a joint Australian Commonwealth - Imperial Government scheme for providing skilled Australian workers to British war industries during the First World War. Under this scheme the volunteers would receive free passage to Great Britain, an allowance for travel time, a special allowance for the duration of service, and eventual repatriation to Australia. Married men also received a separation allowance, but were required to allot a portion of all their earnings to dependants. The men were expected to work in whatever industries they were directed to by the British Board of Trade, and under the prevailing conditions and wages for the duration of hostilities.Government newspaper adverts appeared in August 1916, and the first party of 76 workers departed Australia in September. Groups continued to be recruited and sent at intervals, with the eventual number of workers under the scheme totalling just over 5,000. Almost 1,000 of these had already been working in Britain under private agreements with large firms such as Vickers, and were brought under the conditions of the scheme. An additional 200 former AIF soldiers were also recruited in Britain. Initially only skilled workers were sought, however at the request of the British Government later groups included large numbers of navvies for general labouring.These men were not members of the Australian Imperial Forces and did not serve in combat units, but were recruited to meet the shortfall in skilled labour that threatened many of Britain's key wartime industries including munitions.

The British Government requested skilled workers for munitions work from the Dominions and Colonies to make up the shortages caused by military service in Britain.Australian War Memorial's Research Centre does not hold files relating to munitions workers and other skilled workers sent to the United Kingdom during the First World War. The National Archives of Australia has the service records for these men in the series MT1139/1 which consists of personnel dossiers for men enlisted under a joint Australian Commonwealth - Imperial Government scheme for providing skilled Australian workers to British war industries during the First World War. Under this scheme the volunteers would receive free passage to Great Britain, an allowance for travel time, a special allowance for the duration of service, and eventual repatriation to Australia. Married men also received a separation allowance, but were required to allot a portion of all their earnings to dependants. The men were expected to work in whatever industries they were directed to by the British Board of Trade, and under the prevailing conditions and wages for the duration of hostilities.Government newspaper adverts appeared in August 1916, and the first party of 76 workers departed Australia in September. Groups continued to be recruited and sent at intervals, with the eventual number of workers under the scheme totalling just over 5,000. Almost 1,000 of these had already been working in Britain under private agreements with large firms such as Vickers, and were brought under the conditions of the scheme. An additional 200 former AIF soldiers were also recruited in Britain. Initially only skilled workers were sought, however at the request of the British Government later groups included large numbers of navvies for general labouring.These men were not members of the Australian Imperial Forces and did not serve in combat units, but were recruited to meet the shortfall in skilled labour that threatened many of Britain's key wartime industries including munitions.

25 memorials

Page

of 2

Page 1

Munition Worker William Blower Flowers have been left.

1861 – 26 Jul 1917

Ramsgate, Thanet District, Kent, England

Plot info: KC 358

Robert Thomson Brown Flowers have been left.

unknown – 20 Mar 1919

Inveresk, East Lothian, Scotland

Plot info: C. 1672.

Ammunition Worker John Calderwood Veteran Flowers have been left.

1892 – 29 Oct 1918

Plymouth, Plymouth Unitary Authority, Devon, England

Plot info: General. C. 4364.

Francis Joseph Chamberlain Flowers have been left.

unknown – 20 Jan 1918

Sherwood, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia

Plot info: Ang

Matthew Clayson Flowers have been left.

1887 – 1 Dec 1916

Chester, Cheshire West and Chester Unitary Authority, Cheshire, England

Plot info: Old cem. 107

Arthur Cooper Flowers have been left.

1894 – 4 Mar 1919

Warrington, Warrington Unitary Authority, Cheshire, England

Plot info: Grave Reference:E. CE. 157.

Christopher Ridler Hale Flowers have been left.

1868 – 6 Apr 1918

Hoylake, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England

Plot info: Grave Reference 705.

John Henry Harrison Flowers have been left.

12 May 1857 – 20 Apr 1918

Thorne, Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England

Plot info: extension churchyard

Worker Henry Charles Hedger VeteranSponsored Flowers have been left.

unknown – 12 Jul 1918

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Metropolitan Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England

Plot info: O. New Ground 673.

Worker John E “Jack” Langworthy Veteran Flowers have been left.

28 Dec 1896 – 30 Jul 1918

Cambridge, City of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England

Plot info: VIII. 49.

Henry Mann Flowers have been left.

1886 – 26 Nov 1918

Wallsend, Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England

Plot info: I. R.C. 722.

Worker James Martin Flowers have been left.

unknown – 16 Nov 1918

Andover, Test Valley Borough, Hampshire, England

Plot info: D. 530.

David Francis McLaren

unknown – 23 Oct 1918

Southampton, Southampton Unitary Authority, Hampshire, England

Plot info: B. 4. 156.

Munition Worker James Poulter

unknown – 18 Jan 1919

Stockton-on-Tees, Stockton-on-Tees Unitary Authority, County Durham, England

Plot info: Grave Reference:A. F. 7.

Private Arthur Edward Richardson Veteran Flowers have been left.

Jul 1878 – 30 Jul 1919

Garstang, Wyre Borough, Lancashire, England

Plot info: E. 78.

John Thomas Rootsey Flowers have been left.

1871 – 8 Nov 1918

Southampton, Southampton Unitary Authority, Hampshire, England

Plot info: L. 9. 19.

Robert “Ross” Roseman Flowers have been left.

1853 – 25 Nov 1918

Richmond, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London, England

Plot info: FC. 306.

Joseph Thomas Royal Flowers have been left.

Oct 1890 – 9 Aug 1917

Gretna Green, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Plot info: D. 26. 1.

Henry Valantine Ryan Flowers have been left.

unknown – 6 Nov 1918

Sheffield, Metropolitan Borough of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

Plot info: JJ. "C." 3348.

Albert EDWARD Shepherd Flowers have been left.

1880 – 6 Dec 1918

West Kirby, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England

Plot info: Grave Reference:1129.

Javascript required: We're sorry, but Find a Grave doesn't work properly without JavaScript enabled. You will need to enable Javascript by changing your browser settings. Learn how to enable it.