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3.45" or 3.7"

L

LANCS

Member
Hello

I am trying to determine what the ROF Factory (Engineering) in Wigan produced, it was set up in early 1940 to machine either 32,000 3.45" or 3.7" shells per week.

To date I have been unable to confirm which one was produced as another factory was planed to produce the other, is it possible to identify were a shell was machined prior to transfer to a filling plant.

There are some photo's of shells being produced in 1951 on the link below, however these may be different from wartime production.

http://www.wiganhistory.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=51

If it is possible to identify a shell produced at Wigan I would be very intrerested in aquiring one if anyone can help.

Thanks in advance

Regards

Mark
 
In the photos, the larger projos appear to be 4.5 inch. There are some 4.2 inch mortar ones and one that looks like 3 inch. I don't see any 3.7 or 25 Pdr. (3.45 inch) ones.
 
Mark,

I have no monogram listed for ROF Wigan (or Beech Hill). An overview of wartime contracts shows only ROFs Woolwich, Birtley and Swynnerton as supplying projectiles. I have found two companies in Wigan listed as shell manufacturers:-
DD(W) - D & H Timberlade (I think this is a typo and is actually H.H. Timberlake)
DDW - Wyndham Hewitt (Projectile Division, Wyndham Hewitt) They had several sites and the monogram always starts DD.

Wyndham Hewitt were an engineering company based in Staines where they shared premises with the Lagonda Motor Company. Post war they merged with Lagonda. On the outbreak of war they established about four other sites throughout the UK. H.H. Timberlake were a small motor car engineers and as their monogram is a variation of the Wyndham Hewitt one I suspect they might have been subcontracting to them.

I think it possible that ROF Wigan was managed by Wyndham Hewitt in a similar manner to the way ROF Elstow was managed by J. Lyons.

I've had a quick look at the wartime contracts for Wyndham Hewitt, however the location of factory is not specified.

TimG
 
Hi TimG

Many thanks for the useful information, I had been told about the Timberlake activity and understand the machine shop was in the basment of the building, I was quite surprised as it would have been right in the middle of the town centre, the building still survives. I will have to do some more digging to try and confirm the Wyndham Hewitt connection.

The other factory approved for construction at the same time as Wigan was Cardonald, Wigan was to be equiped with a duplicate order of machinery /plant that had been supplied to Birtley.

Do you know if Wigan is mentioned in the book, ROF, Stories of the Royal Ordanance Factories 1939-48.

So if Wigan was managed by Wyndham Hewitt I assume it would not be possible to distinguish between their different sites.

Do you have any information on Walker Brothers of Wigan, I was told they produced shells but I am more inclined to think it was 25 pounder shell cases.

Regards

Mark
 
Mark,

It appears that Walker Brothers (assuming it is the same company) manufactured 95mm HE projectiles. Another Wigan company is the Wigan Coal Corporation who are shown as carrying out centreless grinding on 2 lb AP cores and 40mm SAP cores.

Note I was incorrect in stating that ROF Swynnerton manufactured projectiles.

Regards

TimG
 
Hi TimG

Thanks again for the information, are there any more companies listed for Wigan as I would be very intrested to learn of them, the 25pdr case info came from someones memoirs, but they now may have meant machining driving bands ?

Regards

Mark
 
Mark,

Unfortunately it is not that simple, in a lot of cases only the company name is given - I wouldn't have known Walker Bros. were in Wigan unless you had mentioned it. Identifying the location of the companies is very much 'work in progress'. However, as and when I come across Wigan companies I'll let you know.

Regards

TimG
 
Hi,

I've had a scan through a 'photo' photocopy of the book - cover shown - assume this is the one you mean.

The only mention I could see was this one on page 68 (shown) which discussed the number of 25 pounder shells produced by Wigan as being at five and a half million.

regards
 

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TimG said:
Mark,

Unfortunately it is not that simple, in a lot of cases only the company name is given - I wouldn't have known Walker Bros. were in Wigan unless you had mentioned it. Identifying the location of the companies is very much 'work in progress'. However, as and when I come across Wigan companies I'll let you know.

Regards

TimG
Click to expand...

FORGOT TO ASK TimG
Would Walker Bros have had a monogram
Regards
Mark
 
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