Other Post WW II Naval and Aircraft gun mountings

[John A Silkstone]

The following item was posted on our local web site and I thought it may be of interest to the older members of the service. It is from a lady, (Hazel) who's kindly given me permision to copy and paste onto this site. I hope you enjoy the read.

There seems to be a lot of interest in Rose Brothers. just lately so I thought I would post this message as a new topic.

The gun turret components were made throughout the workshops of Roses - each workshop dealing with a different component. My father worked in Jasper's Workshop where the unit for the gun pivoted was made and also the valve chest which was a device to alter the flow of oil instantly to allow for a quick change of the gun's direction - if an enemy fighter was zooming in on you, you didn't have the time to wait for the ordinary hydraulic system to adjust to a closing target. Wherever the gun sight went, the gun was lined up instantly. These gun turrets were tested at Roses - Dad remembers hearing the test firings of the guns so there would have been no secrecy as to what they making at this time. Some of the men who worked on these guns also installed them in the aircraft. There was a used gun turret, with the interior covered in blood, in one of Roses yards.
Roses also manufactured naval guns and had a rocking platform, which was used to test whether the guns could remain on target when the ships were taking evasive action. A barrage balloon was positioned approx. 6 miles away (over Haley?) for the radar sight to focus on and this was so accurate that it even took into account the movement of the balloon in the wind.
The working hours at Roses during the war were very long. There were 3 8-hour shifts in the Moulding and Turning shops while the Fitting shop staff started work at 7.30 am. They never really knew when work would finish for the day. They had one Sunday off per month and usually found that a Home Guard exercise was scheduled for this day - anyone who was over age for the forces or who were in a reserved occupation had to do something extra such as serving as an Air Raid Warden or in the Home Guard. At least two men were rostered on duty in all Roses workshops every night for a 6pm to 6am shift so the firm was in operation 24 hours a day. They also had plane spotters and each plane sighted had to be identified and reported, which, as there were so many airfields around Gainsborough, kept them very busy. There was a competition running at the time in which all who entered had to pay 6d. to guess how many aircraft would be sighted in the following week - the person who was closest to this number received the cash. It was the aircraft spotters who alerted the workshops when the Dam Busters flew over the town and while my father was lucky enough to see the 22 Lancaster’s that were close enough to see the crews in them, the majority of the workers would only have heard those 88 engines flying over them. After the raid, Bomber Harris, Guy Gibson and a number of the aircrew toured Roses and all could see the brand new medals they were wearing.
My father has many stories about Roses and the Home Guard - the TV series Dad's Army was so true to life! I hope this has been of interest to you all.

Hazel

 

[Bombardier]

Great story, I love to hear of peoples experiences during the war, usually it is about a soldier,sailor or airmen, its great to hear the tales of people who took part in the war effort in other ways. Would be great to either see some of the equipment made at the factory or at leat some specs of the equipment made. Is the factory still standing I wonder?

Thanks John for this very interesting post and please thank Hazel on our behalf.

 

[Bombardier]

Found this mention of Rose Brothers

RAF Hemswell

During the second world war the station had undertaken a variety operational tasks including bombing raids throughout Europe and against enemy shipping plus acting as a training and conversation center. In 1939 Hampdens were introduced with the station flying its first operation sortie of the 2nd World War on 26th September 1939 against enemy shipping. The station with its now resident Polish squadrons was re equipped with Wellington bombers in 1941. Lancaster heavy bombers arrived in 1943 and a "production line" was set up to fit rear turrets, manufactured by Rose Bros. of Gainsborough, to all Lancasters.

 

[Bombardier]

A little more information.....

William Rose

There's no such word as "can't"

It was one of the turning points of the Second World War and an electrifying moment for all those working at Roses Trentside Albion Works, when the Station Engineer at nearby RAF Scampton phoned with the emotional message: "Tell the lads that was their job", which broadcast around the works on loud speakers. The messenger referred to the Dambusters riad and the breaching of the Eder and Moehne dams by 617 Squadron in August 1943. Roses played a major role in supplying the Admiralty and Air Ministry, which eventually helped to win the war effort. Today nearly all visible reminders of this firm have vanished. The Rose story is the quintessential success story of an Englishman who believed there was "no such word as can't".

 

[John A Silkstone]

I live in a corner house at a T-junction and as I typing this text; I can look over my left shoulder and see the old Rose Brother’s Trentside Albion Works site. The last part of the site was razed to the ground a few weeks ago. The site now has a large factory that is so automated that only a few people work there.

The site nearest and just across the road from me, is having 100 houses built on it.

On the second site, I can see the Lincolnshire College annex (Lincoln is nearly 20 miles away)which stands on the old Rose's Acland Street site.

There are no Rose Brother factories left.

Another claim to fame for Rose’s was the Cadburys Rose’s chocolates. Rose Brother’s made the machines that wrap the chocolates and then packed them. Cadbury’s were so pleased that they named the new chocolates after the two brothers.

Ten years ago I was using a Lancaster rear turret with its Perspex cove as a mini greenhouse to bring on my plants.

Someone in the town decided to start a heritage centre to help preserve some of the town’s history. I gave them the turret and they were over the moon about it as it was still in very good condition. The centre was set up in a part of the Brittannia factory, known locally as ‘Track Marshals’. They made tanks in the Great war and it’s claim to fame in WW II was the two man submarines which was tested in the River Trent, which still get a strong tidal flow. As I type, this factory is also being razed to make way for a superstory??????? The heritage centre is now looking for a new home.What a danm shame.