I have recently got involved in an argument about the iron used to construct WW2 planes like Spitfires and Hurricanes in the UK. When Churchill became Prime Minister he installed press baron Lord Beaverbrook as the minister for aircraft production. It was Beaverbrook's responsibility to provide the desperately needed raw materials to help build the Spitfires and Hurricanes.
One way used was to requisition the 19th century iron railings and gates surrounding many of the cemeteries, parks and squares in Britain's towns and cities. This was done in 1940 when many hundreds of tons of iron were removed by the authorities. The public were also asked to donate aluminium kitchen utensils - although in practice these were only owned by the better off. Beaverbrook himself issued a press appeal: "We will turn your pots and pans into Spitfires and Hurricanes, Blenheims and Wellingtons".
Since then the rumour has persisted that the iron collected was unsuitable for making planes and instead buried in quarries or dumped at sea, and that it was basically just a propaganda effort. The Public Records Office does not have any records of what happened to the iron collected, it seems the records disappeared or were shredded after the war. In 1978 a journalist claimed the London iron was loaded onto barges and dumped at sea in the Thames estuary.
However there are a couple of people in my circle who insist that as we have no evidence to the contrary, the iron could well have been recycled to make planes in WW2. The iron must have come from somewhere and since iron was a key component in aircraft manufacture it could have been the recycled gates and railings. Is this true? And if so would recycled iron from Victorian gates and railings have been any use? Would the authorities have known this at the time if it was suitable?
I thought one way to resolve this is to ask the people who know about these planes, ie this forum. Could the 19th century iron work collected during WW2 in the UK, mainly in the form of gates and railings, have been recycled to make WW2 planes?
Or might it have been used instead for tanks which I believe were heavier. Anyone able to comment?
Usignuolo
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One way used was to requisition the 19th century iron railings and gates surrounding many of the cemeteries, parks and squares in Britain's towns and cities. This was done in 1940 when many hundreds of tons of iron were removed by the authorities. The public were also asked to donate aluminium kitchen utensils - although in practice these were only owned by the better off. Beaverbrook himself issued a press appeal: "We will turn your pots and pans into Spitfires and Hurricanes, Blenheims and Wellingtons".
Since then the rumour has persisted that the iron collected was unsuitable for making planes and instead buried in quarries or dumped at sea, and that it was basically just a propaganda effort. The Public Records Office does not have any records of what happened to the iron collected, it seems the records disappeared or were shredded after the war. In 1978 a journalist claimed the London iron was loaded onto barges and dumped at sea in the Thames estuary.
However there are a couple of people in my circle who insist that as we have no evidence to the contrary, the iron could well have been recycled to make planes in WW2. The iron must have come from somewhere and since iron was a key component in aircraft manufacture it could have been the recycled gates and railings. Is this true? And if so would recycled iron from Victorian gates and railings have been any use? Would the authorities have known this at the time if it was suitable?
I thought one way to resolve this is to ask the people who know about these planes, ie this forum. Could the 19th century iron work collected during WW2 in the UK, mainly in the form of gates and railings, have been recycled to make WW2 planes?
Or might it have been used instead for tanks which I believe were heavier. Anyone able to comment?
Usignuolo
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