ROF News - Family connection

[PNK]

Amongst my Mum's papers was a copy of ROF News dated May 4th 1951. It turns out that my Grandad was presented with an Imperial Service Medal at 91 Ordnance Sub-Depot. Woolwich Arsenal.
It never occured to me that Woolwich Arsenal was regarded as an ROF factory.
It features heavily in family history and it is sad to note the most of the site has now gone, although the main gate still stands in the middle of new developments and roads.

I have attached a copy of the front page and my Grandads mention. If anyone wants to see the rest of the four page news sheet let me know and I will post it.

43864385

[PETERTHEEATER]

That's a nice reminder of your family connection.

Woolwich Arsenal (ROF No 1) had a long history with explosives and armaments and, in the run-up to WW2, was a major Filling Factory. Its vulnerability to air attack was recognised and the FF tasks moved off the other new ROFs.

The Arsenal's main contribution was R&D and many world leading novel explosives and improved explosives were developed there. Consequently, the site had an NG factory and the capability to manufacture the small amounts of feedstock required for experimentation.

The 1945 'rollback' in Google Earth shows the expanse of the site.

[canberra]

Until the end of the cold war there was an RAF movements unit at the royal arsenal.