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WW2

A WW1 bayonet.

WW1 M1917 Bayonet

By Collections blog

This First World War bayonet was recently brought into the Museum by one of our volunteers and is an American M1917 bayonet which was used in World War One, World War Two, Korean War and in the Vietnam War.

 

It was first used by American soldiers in WW1 on the Western Front. A sword bayonet design, the M1917 bayonet design was based on the British pattern 1913 bayonet. While designed specifically for the M1917 rifle, the bayonet was fitted for use on all the ‘trench’ shotguns at the time. The US continued to use the WW1-made M1917 bayonets during World War Two because of large stockpiles left over. The new trench guns being procured and issued were still designed to use the old M1917 bayonet.

The bayonet was then called upon again during the Korean war for issue due to the various trench guns still being in use. In 1966 procurement orders were let for brand new production M1917 bayonets. Stockpiles had finally run out, and new Winchester 1200 trench shotguns were being issued. These were issued in limited quantities during the Vietnam War. It was not until towards the end of the Vietnam War that new military shotguns were designed to use the newer knife bayonets.

 

 

M1917 bayonets were still used by the US Army as late as the early 2000’s for use with the M1200 shotgun.

Group of Broom Lassies.

ICI Powfoot Membership Card

By Collections blog

This card was issued to a worker at ICI Powfoot which was built during the Second World War. The worker which the card was given to lived in Annan. The Museum has a display within it all about ICI Powfoot and the Broom Lassies who worked there during the Second World War.

 

This is the front of the Membership Card which was given to all of the workers at ICI Powfoot.

In 1940 the government were looking for somewhere to build a munitions factory, they once again looked towards the Solway as an area to build their factory due to the easy access to water and good railway access to transport munitions to other parts of the country. The Ministry of Supply was responsible for ensuring there were ample supplies of  explosive  propellants  for  filling  guns,  shells  and  rifle  cartridges  at  Royal Ordnance Factories across Britain. Thus, the Ministry worked closely with the experts   of   the   privately-owned   Imperial   Chemical   Industries (ICI)   to manufacture the required propellants and high explosives.

 

This shows the inside of the Membership Card and the details of the worker who owned it.

In  early  1940,  the  Broom  Farmhouse  and  outbuildings  near  the  Victorian fishing  village  of  Powfoot,  was  requisitioned  by  the Ministry  of  Supply  to  be used as the site for ICI Powfoot. Construction began in Spring 1940, with Edinburgh based firm A.M. Carmichael contracted to build the factory, drafting in over 600 tradesmen from both sides of the Border to ensure the site was operational by Spring 1941.

 

This is a photo of ICI Powfoot from above and what it looks like today.

At its peak the factory employed over 4000 people, most of which were female. The female workers at ICI Powfoot became known as the Broom Lassies as the factory was built on Broom Farm. almost  90%  of  single women and 80% of married women were employed in essential work for the war effort. Many women in the Annan area were forced to leave their jobs in other  industries  and  were  conscripted  to  work  in  local  munitions  factories, predominately ICI Powfoot.

 

The following books/booklets on this subject are available from the Museum’s online shop:

The Solway Military Coast book

 

Some of the museum's team with Easter hats on.

Easter on the Ration

By Archive

Everyone is familiar with the Easter tradition of chocolate eggs but what happens when chocolate and other sweet treats are rationed?

 

During World War Two, in an attempt to reduce the strain placed upon the merchant fleet and other vessels supplying Britain with food from around the world, rationing was introduced effecting all aspects of life in Britain. Cloths were rationed as was petrol, wood and other raw materials and fuel required for the war effort were also short in supply and subject to rationing, all of which came into force January 8th, 1940 just a few months after the outbreak of war.

 

However, food is probably the first thing people think of when rationing is mentioned, and all sorts of both essential and non-essential items were added to the ration list. Some food items were not rationed such as potatoes and carrots. Other fruit and vegetables that could be grown in Britain were also not subject to rationing although they did become scarce and harder to find in the shops.

 

But what about sweets and chocolate eggs for Easter? The rationing of sweets and chocolate began in July 1942. Even before chocolate rationing came into force Cadbury’s had ceased production of their ‘Dairy Milk’ as the government had banned the use of fresh milk in manufacturing in 1941, instead they produced ‘Ration Chocolate’ which was a poor substitute and definitely did not come in the form of an Easter egg! Shops sold carrot lollies and other vegetables on a stick as a replacement Easter treat.

 

The stringent rules of rationing began to be loosened in 1948 but it was not until 1953 that the rationing of sweets and chocolate was finally over. As well as sweets and chocolate: eggs, cream, butter, cheese, margarine and cooking fats were all taken off the rationed list almost a decade after the end of World War Two.

 

To celebrate the end of rationing one sweet shop in Clapham common gave 800 children 150lbs of lollipops during their midday break from school; and another London factory opened its doors to hand out free sweets to all comers. It was not just school children that delighted in the end of the restrictions, many adults queued on their lunch breaks to be able to get boiled sweets and boxes of chocolates to take home.

Wartime Gardening

By Collections blog

Recently the Museum received a donation of a few items from World War Two to do with the Dig For Victory gardens which was a very successful campaign during the Second World War which involved encouraging citizens to grow their own food to try and combat rationing. The Dig For Victory campaign was very successful and encouraged many people to start growing their own food during wartime.

The Museum has its own garden outside which we have called the ‘Dig For Victory’ Garden which we use to grow some of the vegetables used in our cafe. The Museum uses the Garden through the Summer and will start to plant vegetables in it soon (if the weather clears up).

 

This is what our Garden looks like during the Summer when in use.

This is what it currently looks like. Hopefully we can start planting things soon!

The items which were donated to us include an informational booklet from the North of England Horticultural Society which included hints about how best to grow some of the plants.

 

Another one of the items which was donated is also a guide but a slightly shortened down one. This guide is titled ‘War and Your Garden’ and has many tips about growing crops in every different month of the year.

The last item is a plan on how people can grow vegetables all year round and includes information about the best time of year to plant certain crops and also the distance which should be left in between each one when planting.

 

Landgirl Film Project Premiere at Annan Lonsdale Cinema

By Archive

This takes place on the 10th of March at the Annan Lonsdale Cinema. Booking is essential! If you would like to book a place please phone: 01461 700021 or email: info@devilsporridge.org.uk

 

Hear the oral history of a Carlisle Landgirl from World War Two as filmed, edited and animated by local young people.

 

In World War Two, thousands of young women did their war work on the land. This film will focus on the experiences of Bettie (Photographed). She was a young girl in Carlisle when World War Two started and she spent most of the war in Cumbria working on different farms. Her film involves tales of cows, rat catching and mole baiting along with other wonderful experiences she had along the way .

 

This cinema screening is free to attend. There will be brief talks by those involved in the project as part of the evening as well.

 

With thanks to Annan Lonsdale Cinema for generously hosting this event.

Museum volunteer stood in the evacuee section of The Devil's Porridge Museum.

Barnardo’s child evacuees

By Collections blog

This part of the Devil’s Porridge Museum is the place I find most interesting.

 

This part of the Museum tells us about the children who came from Barnardo’s orphanages to escape the war. Some came inner city slums and found this as an adventure and a glimpse of a better life. Some had never seen hills or cows and enjoyed the fresh country air.

 

Barnardo’s was founded by Thomas Barnardo in 1866, to care for vulnerable children. As of 2013 it has raised and spent around £200 million each year running around 900 local services, aimed at helping these same groups. It is the UKs largest children’s charity in terms of charitable expenditure. Its headquarters are in Barkingside in the London Borough of Redbridge.

 

This part of the museum tells us the story of how some of these children came to Eastriggs, Gretna and the surrounding areas. If you visit the museum you can hear audio accounts from some of the children who have recalled their memories and shared them with us as adults.

 

Of all the historical events that I can learn about at the Museum I find this section the most interesting.

By Andrew Dill (Devil’s porridge Museum volunteer)

A radio on display in The Devil's Porridge Museum.

A Look Inside The Museum

By Archive

This display is the start of the timeline of the Second World War which is located on the top floor. This display follows on from a timeline of pre Second World War which explains the build up to the conflict.

 

The display includes a voice extract from Neville Chamberlin (who was Prime Minister at the time) when he took to the airwaves to announce to the country that Britain was at war with Germany. It also includes a quote from a local woman named Margaret Clark recalling the moment the announcement was made, “I was sitting at our kitchen table doing my homework and all of a sudden Big Ben struck and then Neville Chamberlin started to speak – our country was now at war. It was a very funny feeling, it was quite frightening really.”

Rumours of a new munitions factory at Gretna had been circulating since 1937.  In a strategic move the government decided to spread the risk by building a number of smaller factories. Three months after the war was announced, His Majesty’s Inspector of Explosives gave the go ahead to build Powfoot Munitions Factory on the Solway Firth, just 8 miles (12km) away from where the Museum is now.

 

The map below shows some of the key points which were used during the Second World War in the local area such as RAF Annan, ICI Powfoot and many of the homes used for evacuation of children.

ICI Powfoot group photo.

World War Two photo of ICI Powfoot

By Collections blog

A couple (Ron and Morag) recently contacted the Museum and sent us a photo of Morag’s mother who worked at ICI Powfoot during the Second World War.  She is pictured in the photograph below (front row, second from left) with other people who also worked in the Factory.

Morag’s mother was Mary Taylor Napier (maiden name Dirom) who worked at ICI Powfoot during the Second World War.  She was born on the 11th May 1921 in Templand, Dumfriesshire. She then married on 2nd February 1940 at Dryfesdale, Lockerbie to James Ross Napier (who was on leave from the army). She lived in Lockerbie during World War Two.

After the War, James and Mary moved to Templand in a ‘prefab’ where they had their first child Morag (who gave us this information). Mary and James, with three children and a fourth on the way, emigrated to Australia in 1956 and this is where they lived until Mary passed away on the 16th July 2000 in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia.

The couple would also be very interested to know if anyone  knew any of the other people in the photo and see if they can identify them. They don’t really know much more information about the photo or who is in it which is why they would like some more information if anyone can help.  Please email: manager@devilsporridge.org.uk if you have any information you would like to share with us.  We have a large collection of objects and material relating to the Second World War in our region and are always keen to know more.

Photo on display of ICI Powfoot workers

This display (photographed below) is on the First Floor of the Museum and focuses on the work done at ICI Powfoot.

A few years ago, the Museum researched and published a book called ‘The Solway Military Coast.’  It contains lots of information about World War Two in Dumfries and Galloway and can be purchased from our online shop (and shipped worldwide): https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/product/the-solway-military-coast-book

The front cover of a book titled "The Premier's Clarion Calls to Courage" with an illustration of Winston Churchill.

World War Two Donation to the Museum

By Collections blog

We don’t know much about this recently donated booklet. It was printed in 1941 and contains some of Churchills most inspiring speeches. It is pocket sized so could have been taken anywhere in World War Two. You can imagine soldiers, airmen, sailors, air raid wardens, ATS workers and anyone involved in the war either in service or in the public reading it to raise their morale in their darkest hours. We hope this pamphlet brought the courage it was intended to stir and that you are enjoying reading it.

The booklet was made by a company called Valentine and Sons who were a printing company founded in Dundee in 1851 and grew to become Scotland’s leading manufacturer of picture postcards. The company was then purchased by John Waddington Limited in 1963 who then sold it to Hallmark Cards in 1980. Operations at the Dundee factory ceased in 1993.

The Devils Porridge Museum has two floors. The ground floor focuses on World War One and the first floor focuses on World War Two and the Cold War in our area. Hope you can visit us soon to explore both galleries. To find out more about what’s in the Museum before visiting check out the Guidebooks which we have in our shop: https://www.devilsporridge.org.uk/product/the-devils-porridge-museum-guidebook

Here are a couple of pages from the book below:

WW2 Coat

WW2 Coat and Badges

By Collections blog

This coat was recently donated to the Museum and has a large number of badges on it from WW2. It was owned by a land girl during the Second World War and was very kindly donated to the Museum by her family. Many of our young volunteers have been researching all of the badges and trying to find out what each one of them was for.

WW2 Coat

This is a photo of two of our young volunteers Calum and Finn researching some of the badges on the coat.

Young volunteers with WW2 Coat

We have now found out what all but two of the badges were for. The coat is in very good condition as are most of the badges (some are slightly discoloured).

WW2 Badges

WW2 Badges

Here are some of the most interesting badges:

Rainbow and Flaming sword: Post WW2 U.S. forces European command

WW2 Badge

Red Fish: WW2 British Army 2 corps badge

WW2 Badge

Red Witch: 2nd Anti-Aircraft division badge

WW2 Badge

Igloo with a star: Exercise Eskimo Badge

WW2 Badge

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