MUNITION WORKERS
The main munitions factory in South Australia, at Salisbury, (Penfield) dates from 1940. For a time Salisbury was the largest explosives factory in Australia. By August 1942 it was making trinitrotoluene (TNT), nitro-glycerine, ammonium nitrate and several initiators. The Salisbury factory was responsible for making caps and detonators; preparing the small component-primers and fusers, of which caps and detonators were a part; filling cartridge cases with propellant and fitting them with primers; and filling shell bodies with high explosives and assembling each to form a complete round of ammunition.
Nita Sleep & Gwen Betts
Photo: Sue Trewartha
Photo: Sue Trewartha
West Coast Sentinel 31-7-1942
Mr J Foggo spoke of Gwen’s many good qualities and wished her everything of the best. Other speakers were Messrs C Bergmann, M Schultz and S Trewartha. Gwen received from her parents a fur cape and from her friends many useful presents. The guest has a brother, Art, in the firing line and another brother, Bert, in the militia. But this does not satisfy her as she is leaving in a fortnight to enter munitions works in Adelaide. Mr M Schultz had charge of the evening and kept everyone amused with latest games, competitions, quizzes. Supper followed during which Gwen tried unsuccessfully to blow the candles out in one puff.”
Courtesy of Sue Trewartha
Gwen then left home to work for more than three years in the Penfield Munitions at Salisbury, SA, with her cousin, Anne Scott.
“We lived in a flat with Anne's mother. Anne and I would ride our bikes into Adelaide Railway Station and catch the train to work, three shifts on the Detonator Section, a dangerous place, and I can recall a number of nasty accidents.
“I was there for a total of three years and three weeks and received an Honourable Discharge at the end of the war.
“I found it a wonderful experience and met many lovely girls and it was great learning how the other half lived.”
Mr J Foggo spoke of Gwen’s many good qualities and wished her everything of the best. Other speakers were Messrs C Bergmann, M Schultz and S Trewartha. Gwen received from her parents a fur cape and from her friends many useful presents. The guest has a brother, Art, in the firing line and another brother, Bert, in the militia. But this does not satisfy her as she is leaving in a fortnight to enter munitions works in Adelaide. Mr M Schultz had charge of the evening and kept everyone amused with latest games, competitions, quizzes. Supper followed during which Gwen tried unsuccessfully to blow the candles out in one puff.”
Courtesy of Sue Trewartha
Gwen then left home to work for more than three years in the Penfield Munitions at Salisbury, SA, with her cousin, Anne Scott.
“We lived in a flat with Anne's mother. Anne and I would ride our bikes into Adelaide Railway Station and catch the train to work, three shifts on the Detonator Section, a dangerous place, and I can recall a number of nasty accidents.
“I was there for a total of three years and three weeks and received an Honourable Discharge at the end of the war.
“I found it a wonderful experience and met many lovely girls and it was great learning how the other half lived.”
Miss Ann Beattie (Scott)
Worked: Penfield Munitions
Worked: Penfield Munitions
Bona CRISP (nee Dahl)
Munitions Worker
Munitions Worker
Mr. Jack Backshall
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Ted Barnett
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Lyle Bassham
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Ollie Davey
Munitions Worker 1943-
Munitions Worker 1943-
Mr. Peter Flaherty
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Fred Hurrell
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Leo Kelly
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Cliff Thorpe
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Allan Shillabeer
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Len Hunt
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Tom Stone
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Mr. Barney Geue
Munitions Worker 1943 -
Munitions Worker 1943 -