Topic: Glass in Warfare

[Leni]

Oooh, Adam!  I remember valves!   My mother had an old radio set which had BIG glass valves!  I used to turn it round so I could see the valves in the back of it.  I loved to touch those valves, with there long twisty points!  Thinking about it, that must be where I first got my love for glass!     

[Chris Harrison]

>> I can understand beef extract being destined for the trenches, but snuff?  Except in the American south, I
>> thought snuff went out of style right along with embroidered waistcoats and lace handkerchiefs.

>> In the first war the Brit army was still firmly under control of the upper classes and they were still living in a
>> different world to everyone else.

Soldiers in trenches weren't allowed to light up whenever they wanted:  smoke... smell... glowing tip...
sniper's bullet!!

Snuff and - to a lesser extent - chewing baccy were both in widespread use during WW1

[Madbrit]

German Glass Smoke Grenades

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt/german-glass-smoke-grenades.html

[Frank]

From

Editor (1952), "The Glass Works, Rotherham 1751-1951": 52 pages b/w and drawings.

Abstract:
Company history (Beatson, Clarke & Co) based on the manuscripts of Dorothy Greene. Bottles and containers. Given to those attending the company Bi-Centenary banquet, September 1951. - ISBN Number: . Editions/printings: .

WW1 - Glassblowers volunteered to fight and 'girl' labour had to be brought in for Packing and Stoppering. Already supplied MOD with bottles and stoppers for anaesthetics and the increased need led to modernisation and demolishing the glass cones. 1917 started to produce glass tubing for war effort, girls were trained in lampworking but dumped after the war.

WW2 - Published a booklet for staff (Beatson, Clark Bottles on Active Service) has anyone got a copy?. Also glass flasks for 'Sticky Tank Bombs' Mould makers made moulds for Jet engines and tools for plane and tank engine production. Again many women (500) were hired, some of whom qualified as 'Crafstmen' 

[Frank]

Glass Bullets.

I came across a mention by a glassmaker of having been involved in producing these in the UK, Glass tip inserts, the rationale was cost reduction and due to metal shortages.

A quick google found reference to their use in the American Civil war and their use by Germany in 1917 http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9504E6D8153AE433A25757C2A9629C946696D6CF

[Frank]

Frank Eisner is reported to have received a medal for his work on glass for radar as part of the war effort,

This is now confirmed: British Empire Medal for glass tubing for radar in WWII while at Lemington Glass Company.
LG 09 Jan 1946 Page 323 - listed as Glassblower. Lemington Glass Company. Medal is now in a private collection.

[Cathy B]

Crown Crystal cut their production to make items for the war effort in the 1940s, but I'm not sure what they made. In 1942 they made coffee makers for the US Navy (ordered 27/5/42 - when did the US join the war?) and altered the top of a 2 gallon fruit juice container to make a blood transfusion bottle (ordered 20/5/42).

Their parent company Australian Consolidated Industries (ex-Australian Glass Manufacturers) built a not-for-profit dedicated munitions factory, but this would have been metalwork - they apparently used to finish shells by turning them on lathes - I'm surprised it wasn't automated, but them I'm fairly naive.

[Anne]

when did the US join the war?)

USA declared war on Japan on 8 Dec 1941, Cathy, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and there was a reciprocal declaration of war between the USA and Germany & Italy on 11 December 1941.