HM Explosives Factory Ellesmere Port

[Harper]

By any chance does anyone have any information about the HM Explosives Factory Ellesmere Port which was built on a 5 acre site belonging to the Portland Cement Company? Production started in May 1917.
Any details would be welcome, especially location, number of employees, output etc. I have seen a letter that refers to the manufacture of poisonous gas, but what type of gas?
Thanks
Harper

[Terry_Reeves]

Harper, See this for a basic outline:

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/sites/default/files/06%20The%20National%20Factory%20Scheme%20List.pdf

For fuller information you need to The History of the Ministry of Munitions.

With regard to "poisonous gas' Ellesmere Port produced an arsenical compound, Diphenylchlorarsine and called DA by the British and a modified version called DM. The Germans introduced this in mid-1917 and coded named it it Blue Cross. This was a HE round with particles of Diphenylchlorarsine embedded in the explosive. For unprotected troops it caused sneezing and was a respiratory irritant which could also cause giddiness, numbness, and unconsciousness in extreme cases. It also caused a general malaise. This could lead to those troops affected, removing their gas masks, leaving them open to more toxic gases. The problem for British troop was solved by putting a layer of cheese cloth into the canister of the SBR. Theses canisters were identified by a green strip painted on them.

The British meanwhile, having discovered what Blue Cross was about at the Central Laboratory at Hesdin in France, started to develop there own modified arsenical device, this time in the form of a smoke generator called the "M" device, which manifested itself as the DA and the modified DM generator. The production of these devices did not however did not start until mid-1918 and were never used on the Western Front.

TR

[MPS]

The works is shown on the following web page.

https://war-work.com/his-majestys-explosive-factory-ellesmere-port/