Chapter 9

WOLSELEY WAR PRODUCTION, 1914-1918

In a subsequent chapter will be found details of the immense effort put forth by the Wolseley Company from 1939 onwards to help to achieve victory over the forces of evil which so nearly engulfed civilization.

The proximity of this second world war has so accustomed everyone to the necessity of mechanical requirements for the modern fighting services, that it is difficult to realize how different was this aspect of war in the days preceding the 1914-18 war. Prior to this first world war, armies had relied on the marching power of their infantry for their mobility, but now, for the first time in history, the whole vast field of mechanized warfare began to develop.

As the first European war developed, it became more and more mechanized. Strange new machines were introduced by the forward march of science, until it became obvious that wars of the future would bear but little relationship to wars of the past.

Steadily the Metallurgist, the Scientist and the Engineer began to rank in importance with the General in the field; the older and perhaps more chivalrous type of conflict of the Napoleonic days was passing, just as the bow and arrow of the sixteenth century had to give place to the firearm. The relentless arm of evolution was as active in military matters as it was in any other walk of life.

For the first time in the history of warfare the internal combustion engine was employed in 1914 on the high seas, in the air and on land by both sides, and the more it was employed, all the greater became its possibilities.

But the weapons for the propulsion of which this type of power unit could be used were then in little more than an experimental stage. There was but little time and opportunity to put them to any practical test in something approaching war conditions. For everything in which mobility was necessary some type of internal combustion engine was hastily designed, constructed and fitted, and the complete unit was at once despatched overseas in the hope that it would justify the time and energy expended thereon.

The circumstances which led up to the outbreak of this first world war differed considerably from those of the second. Only a few short weeks before that historic date of August 4th, 1914, this country had been basking in the sunshine of peace with never a thought towards the horror which was so near at hand. Save in a few isolated instances, the motor-car was regarded by the man in the street as something outside his own particular sphere, and there were still some who hardly understood the first principles of this means of propulsion; few indeed visualized the importance of the role, it would play in warfare.

By 1914 the Wolseley Company had become probably the largest motor-car producing Company in the country, and its expansion in the thirteen years since its incorporation into the Vickers Organization was indeed remarkable, and can well be appreciated by the following extract from a speech made by the Chairman, Sir Vincent Caillard, in January of that year, viz.: -

The factory floor space then (1901) was 90,000 square feet. It has increased now to about 17 acres, while the whole works cover an area of about 21 acres. The output in 1901 was 323 cars. In 1906 it was about 600 cars-523 cars I think, to be accurate. in 1911 it was something under 1,600 cars, and in the current year it will exceed 3,000 cars.

On July 4th, 1914, it was resolved by the Board to change the name of the Company from the original " Wolseley Tool & Motor Car Co. Ltd." to the more concise and practical " Wolseley Motors Ltd." Exactly one month later came that clap of thunder which shook the whole civilized world to its foundations. Every branch of engineering was changed; every man had to apply what skill he possessed to the services of his country, and every machine was adapted to turn out engines of war in one form or in another.

Let us now see what role the Wolseley Company played in this great drama.

One of the first and most urgent calls was for vehicles equipped for either staff purposes or for use as ambulances and lorries. In addition to cars in the factory awaiting delivery, those already in the hands of the Distributors, and many which had recently been delivered to the public, were commandeered for the Services. How many underwent this process will never be known, but it is common knowledge that the actual figure exceeded four thousand. which was a very high number in those days. The name of Wolseley had become famous for reliability and hard-wearing qualities, and so it was that the demand was heavy.

The aeroplane was, of course, in its extreme infancy, but its importance as a weapon of war was rapidly recognized. The country was severely behindhand in aero-engine production, and as the Wolseley Company had undertaken much pioneer work in this direction and the success of its productions was well known, the Government lost no time in approaching the Company with a view to its manufacturing engines for this purpose.

The chief difficulty was that the Authorities had no drawings or samples of any description, and so beyond a few outstanding features which were a sine qua non, the Company was instructed to use its own initiative; everything had to be created " from cold as it were.

The manner in which this order was executed will be appreciated when it is recorded that within eleven weeks of the receipt thereof the first of these aero engines had not only been designed and constructed, but was actually on the test bench. One week later, deliveries began.

During the course of the war various types of aero engines were constructed, including the eight- and twelve-cylinder Vee-type Renault engines, and a six-cylinder water-cooled 180-h.p. " Maybach " engine, developed from the Maybach engine used in the Zeppelins. The Dragonfly-a nine-cylinder, and the Boucier fourteen-cylinder, air-cooled radials, were also manufactured. It was, however, the Hispano design of eight-cylinder Vee-type engine, known as the " Viper," which was probably the most famous of the Wolseley wartime aero engines.

The " Viper " will be remembered particularly as the power unit of the famous S.E.5 machines, the fast fighter of its day, and Voss, the crack German pilot, who was credited with having brought down forty-six Allied machines, was shot down in combat with an S.E.5 fitted with a Wolseley " Viper " engine.

It was a proud day for the workers at Adderley Park when, on March 22nd, 1918, the following message was received from the Air Ministry: -

Out of total 274 Huns in four weeks, 108 downed by Wolseley engined S.E.5s.

At first the production of aero engines was a slow business, but as the war proceeded, and the immense importance of aviation became only too apparent, output increased rapidly, and when the Armistice was signed, sixty Wolseley " Viper " engines were being produced weekly. The total number of aero engines built by the Wolseley Company during the war amounted to nearly 4,000, but, in addition, a vast number of spare parts was turned out, equalling fully an additional 1,500 engines. This is a striking example of the rapid advance in quantity production, the whole of which intricate science was, as far as this country is concerned, developed during the 1914-18 war, and which was to play such an important part in the whole future developments of the British motor industry.

Further, the whole of the transmission for the British rigid airships built by Vickers and Armstrong Whitworth was also made and installed by Wolseley Motors Ltd., and special airship engines were also built for the Admiralty.

But the vast resources of the Company were utilized in many other directions. During the shell shortage of 1915 the large chassis-testing shops were completely transformed and great extensions built. Day and night the work continued on the production of shrapnel and H.E. shells; automatic machines were used wherever possible, so that labour could be applied elsewhere until production was solely governed by the amount of raw material obtainable. After the Armistice, when the figures of the total shell production were compiled, it was found that the Company had produced over three million shells for the fighting services.

The calls of the Naval Authorities were no less pressing; early in 1915 the Company had to assist in the manufacture of director firing gear and gun sights for the British Navy, and this work entailed the highest degree of accuracy and delicacy. Here again, the Wolseley Company's efforts were successful to such an extent that a new factory had to be built to ensure the increased output demanded. Nearly three hundred ships of various types were equipped with gear made by the Wolseley Company, and this brought forth a letter from the Admiralty acknowledging their efforts as special service to the Nation.

When the activities of the enemy submarines began to be concentrated on ships of the mercantile marine, the Government called for the production of a large numb.-r of guns to augment the defensive equipment of the hitherto unarmed vessels. The guns were chiefly 12-pounders, and over 1,000 gun mountings and their telescopic sights were produced at Adderley Park.

The Company also had to study the question of allowing its staff to join the Forces without lowering production. Women were employed wherever possible, and this enabled no fewer than 1,300 of the Company's employees to join the colours.

During the later stages of the war, complete aeroplanes were manufactured, and a special branch of the factory was erected for this purpose. From this factory, some 700 planes were turned out, and in addition 850 wing and tail planes and 6,000 propellers.

It is hardly possible or necessary to detail the immense effort made by the Wolseley Company to assist in the final victory.

During the course of the war the Company was honoured by a visit of inspection from His late Majesty King George V, who not only expressed himself as highly gratified by all he saw, but was pleased to address some of the workers after the inspection.

Then, on July 22nd, 1916, General Belaieff, Chief of the Russian General Staff, made a careful inspection, and this was followed by other visits from Members of Parliament, etc.

The few production figures quoted may not sound impressive in the light of those applicable to the far greater conflict just brought to a successful conclusion, but it must be remembered that the effort was put forward over thirty years ago, when mass production had not been developed, and was not understood as it is to-day.