Memorial details

Memorial type
Obelisk
District
Broxtowe
Town
Chilwell
County
Nottinghamshire
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War - civilians
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 13 March 1919
    Attended by: Duke of Portland
  • Rededicated
    Date: 30 June 1968
    Attended by: Local Clergy/Dignitaries
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
26873

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Current location

Inside the C.O.D. site
Central Ordnance Depot
62 Chetwynd Road
Chilwell
Broxtowe
Nottinghamshire
NG9 5GD
England

OS Grid Ref: SK 50866 35201
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Small obelisk on a large pyramid base. A dedicatory plaque and tablet surmounted on the pyramid base. carved inscription on tablet and raised lettering on plaque. Artillery shells and chains form a perimeter fence.
Inscription
(Inscribed stone) ERECTED/ TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE/ MEN AND WOMEN/ WHO LOST THEIR LIVES BY EXPLOSIONS/ AT THE NATIONAL SHELL FILLING FACTORY/ CHILWELL/ 1916 - 1918/ PRINCIPAL HISTORICAL FACTS/ OF THE FACTORY/ FIRST SOD TURNED 13TH SEPTEMBER 1915/ FIRST SHELL FILLED 8TH JANUARY 1916/ NUMBER OF SHELLS FILLED/ WITHIN ONE YEAR OF/ CUTTING THE FIRST SOD/ 1,260,000/ TOTAL SHELLS FILLED/ 19,359,000/ REPRESENTING 50.8% OF THE TOTAL/ OUTPUT OF HIGH EXPLOSIVE SHELL/ BOTH LYDDITE AND AMATOL 60PD TO 15INCH/ PRODUCED IN GREAT BRITAIN DURING THE WAR/ TOTAL TONNAGE OF EXPLOSIVE USED/ 121,360 TONS/ TOTAL WEIGHT OF FILLED SHELL/ 1,100,000 TONS (Plaques) TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND/ IN MEMRY OF THOSE WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES IN TWO WORLD WARS/ AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN/ AND IN THE MORNING/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM/ THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE UNVEILED ON 30TH OF JUNE 1968 BY MT JAMES BOYDEN MP/ PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE ARMY/ ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EXPLOSION AT CHILWELL/ THE V.C. FACTORY/ IN RECOGNITION OF THE BRAVERY AND FORTITUDE OF THE EMPLOYEES/ (Names)
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Ablard, Willie J
Aitken, Robert J
Attenbourough, Thomas
Austin, Percy G
Aylward, James S
Bailey, Samuel
Barker, Arthur G
Barratt, Frederick W
Bartlett, Abraham E
Bartlett, Thomas
See details for all 141 names
Commemorations
  • First World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 141
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 141
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname,forename
    Order of information: surname
Components
  • Table
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Stancliffe
  • Plaque
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
Listing information
  • Memorial to workers of National Filling Factory No.6, Chilwell
  • Grade II
  • This memorial is protected, and listed on the National Heritage List for England maintained by Historic England. View list entry
  • More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website
  • Historic England
Condition
Costs

Comments: Two men were killed in a small explosion on 5th October 1917, the other 139 in a huge explosion on 1st July 1918 when 25 women and 114 men died. Most were killed instantly, but a few of those listed were injured and survived for a short time.

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Reference
  • Local Publication/Booklet 1982 April The Chilwell Story: VC factory and ordnance depot ; Capt M J Haslam Personal accounts of the explosion.

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-26873

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