Original WW1 era postcard outside portrait of Munitions girls with shell cases in front of them. Inspector far LH side with on "war service" badge, and far RH side. Manager at back. 1916-1918.
In mid-May, 1915, public outrage over a shortage of shells on the western front toppled the Liberal government and led to the formation of a coalition government. British soldiers were wounded and dying because they didn't have enough armaments and the new government took immediate action to address this. The economic and industrial future of the British Empire was dependent on whether the government could quickly create a vast munitions industry. That industry could only proceed with the co-operation of all skilled workers - meaning there could be no more labour unrest from the increasingly strident trade union movement. It would also depend on whether the industry could make do with unskilled labour to replace the former skilled workers who were now in the army. The imposition of conscription in January 1916 meant the unskilled labour for the British munitions industry had to be made up primarily by women. A Ministry of Munitions was created in June, 1915 under the control of Lloyd George and in the next few years, he would oversee the creation of a massive new industry that churned out millions of tons of artillery and shells that would supply not only the British soldiers, but also those of the Allied Forces. .
Size: 6799px × 4370px
Location: UK
Photo credit: © ThislifeThen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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