In 1942, at the height of the Second World War, a Royal Enfield underground factory was established in abandoned stone quarries at Westwood near Bradford upon Avon in rural Wiltshire. Many skilled machinists were drafted in from Redditch to make precision parts on drills, gear cutting machinery, welding rigs and capstan lathes.
The factory’s location in a bombproof shelter safe enough for the art of the Empire was due to the fact that Royal Enfield manufactured components for anti-aircraft guns including predictors for accurate control of anti-aircraft weapons. Other precision items produced at Westwood included oil motors for operating searchlights and Bofors anti-aircraft guns as well as pump units for operating the gun turrets of tanks. Such was the skill level at the facility that parts were also fabricated for the control mechanisms of rockets and instruments being produced for the fledgling British atomic programme.
The premises was state of the art, employing devices such as anti-smoke alarms and air-conditioning with humidity control, both unheard of back in 1942. There was even a room where workers received a much needed UV supplement, courtesy of sun lamps, as they spent so much time underground. As the majority of British men had enlisted in the armed services, most of the employees at Westwood were women and many of them had to be trained by the 'old hands' from Redditch.
Seen here, the Royal Enfield Flying Flea in action. Picture Courtesy: Gordon G. May, royalenfieldbooks.com
Featured here: The Royal Enfield WD/CO, a 346cc, 4-speed gearbox war horse used by the British Forces throughout the Second World War. Picture Courtesy: Royal Enfield, by miles the best (book) by Gordon G. May
