Scotland’s First World War Munitionettes Scotland’s main munitions centres were in Glasgow, Clydebank and Gretna. The Gretna Cordite explosive factory was built in 1915 in response to the 1915 munitions crisis. The township built nearby to house the workers became Scotland’s first new town. By 1917 2/3 of the workers were women.

Making ‘The Devil’s Porridge’ In 1917 Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle described the process of making cordite explosive as making the ‘Devil’s Porridge’. Nitro-glycerine, nitric and sulphuric acid and gun-cotton were mixed together in giant ‘nitration pans’. This picture shows women loading the nitration pans.

Mixing the ‘Devil’s Porridge’

A female munitionette maintaining the vats of acid.

Unloading the bales of gun cotton.

Women in Glasgow making shell-cases.

Women in The Falkirk Iron Co making cores for grenades