Glass Message Board
Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Sklounion on February 01, 2008, 09:34:00 PM
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Hi,
We often view glass as an item of beauty, admire the form, the skill of the maker, and so forth.
In conversation with Glen, I, for the first time in my life, met the phrase "glass weaponry", when I asked why, rather than production going down at Inwald's Rudolfova Hut'. it more than trebled between 1939 and 1942, from 5,500 tonnes to 18,000 tonnes.
The answer was in items such as anti-personnel mines, and such items were made by both Inwald and Brockwitz to support the Nazi war effort. (It was described as utility glass).
So, although perhaps a less than tasteful area of discussion, was every country engaged in manufacturing such items, such as Davidson, and Moncrieff, orCorning and Westmoreland?
I think, perhaps a much over-looked subject, but of glass interest, nonetheless.
Regards,
Marcus
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Chance were the only optical glass manufacturer in the UK during WWI, and were responsible for revitalising the industry in 1914. Also plain lenses for instrumentation.
Germany, meanwhile, had come to dominate the optical industry worldwide from 1880 through Zeiss. I also know that Houze (USA) was producing instrument glass and lenses for items like goggles during WWI.
Items Chance produced for WWII was optical glass again, with Pilkington operating a 'shadow' factory, instrument, scientific and laboratory glass, and 'wired' glass (rolled plate reinforced with wire) and used for factory and station roofs).
None of this fits into your remit for 'weaponry' but were significant requirements to the respective war efforts.
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I can't remember where I heard this, (maybe in publicity material?) but according to the Russian company who first developed the laser-produced 3d images in paperweights, Karina Creations (original and best, IMO), the technique was originally used to make gun sights for tanks! At the end of the Cold War someone clever and artistic decided to re-use the computerised lasers to produce 3D pictures in a block of glass! :clap:
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Eisner is reported to have received a medal for his work on glass for radar as part of the war effort, still uncoroborated with only second hand reports from friends he drank with. Moncrieff started up laboratory glass production as the war cut of German and Bohemian supplies. It can be classed as weaponry due to it being needed for weapons research. Yet glass workers were shunted off to the trenches in WW1 leading to severe shortage of glass workers after that war.
I have a number of German documents illustrating WW2 glass production, but mostly decorative, pressed, cut and Nazi items of various types. Yet the 1945 post war report on the German Glass industry, in the Glass Study, gives little information directly about weapon use. However it does cover some of the impacts of Nazi control. A number of glass workers were held on suspicion of war crimes and some probably got convicted if they had nothing interesting to tell the allies. At least one was recommended to be released and later turns up in a US University continuing his glass research.
History does not have to be tasteful and probably much of this type of information has been suppressed to protect those that were of more use to the allies. The glass industry has done quite a good job of poisoning its workers, likely to a far greater impact than an glass weaponry.
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RADAR: Thanks for reminding me... Chance was the only UK company producing Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) 1939-45 that were necessary for RADAR to operate. This probably had the most significant impact on the war effort than any other weapon and, arguably, an item that significantly contributed to the Allies winning the war. Perhaps the most significant single item.
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In the book "Hadelandsglass 1900-1950" (ISBN 82-8003-183-6) by Jens W. berg (ran HG 1951-1980) he writes that
the occupying german forces during WW2 ordered HG to make glass parts for landmines.
The management at the time pulled off the feat of convincing the powers that were that this was
technically undoable at HG's facilities. So the plans were eventually abandoned.
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Whitefriars were involved in the war effort during World War 1. There is a link below to the Whitefriars site where David Fletcher has described some of the things they did. It's mentioned in the 3rd paragraph of his post.
http://www.whitefriars.com/bb_orig/viewtopic.php?t=1316
Craig
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I suppose virtually all glassmakers were involved in the war effort, in one way or another, but the major ones would certainly have had more output.
To the best of my knowledge, Chance gave over a good proportion of their output for the war effort, whereas other smaller companies still continued producing their normal ware, for example utilitarian tableware.
However, quality and luxury goods were still being made, but mainly exported, and it was these exports that created revenue for the war effort.
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Some interesting snippets on Phoenix during WWII:
War time produced its own vicissitudes. Gwen Watts (nee Boycott) records (letter in the "Bugle", 17th January 2002) that she knew Alec Wilfort's wife, Kathleen, very well as she worked alongside her in the sales office. She remembers Kathleen taking round the comforts box and that the proceeds were spent not only on parcels for the forces but also to buy wool from which the office staff would knit scarves, socks and gloves to put in the parcels.
Gwen also remembers that Kathleen "was married in my wedding dress. Clothes rationing was in force at the time and anything which could be borrowed for a one-off occasion, saved precious clothing coupons". This pulling together and helping out was, of course, not uncommon in war time, but it seems to have been in full swing in Phoenix and must have been one of things which contributed to Gwen's conclusion that :
"It was a very happy atmosphere at Phoenix - we were like a big family - and I have some wonderful memories of my working years there amongst some of the nicest people I've known".
By 1941 it seems that Phoenix had to stop ordinary production and convert to war work - work which, at the time was secret.
In a long interview in the Express and Star for 11th April 1964 Miss V (Freezie) Freestone, then the company's Sales Manager, was able to give details of one of their contributions to the war effort. The newly created radar system was breaking down because of poor insulation.
Colonel Jell considered the matter and came up with the idea of an improved insulator, made in glass, with corrugations which gave a greater surface area.
This idea, he said, came from thinking of the serrated stomach of the shark which gives a large surface area in a small space. (How the gallant colonel came to be acquainted with the stomachs of sharks is not recorded). It took him 24 hours to perfect the design.
As it was top secret, the insulators were blown by only one man, the master craftsman, Ralph Brown. He worked 50 hours non stop, eating while he worked, to produce sufficient insulators; and so the radar stations were equipped before the Battle of Britain started. The company also blew the cathode ray tubes which were used for the new radar system. And they also pressed glass insulators for submarines, which were needed to avoid the corrosion from which the earlier versions had suffered.
More than 200 of the company's employees were called up but Freezie sent them all a weekly newsletter about the company and life on the home front.
Black Country Industries website http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/BCMC/phoenix/phoenix01.htm (http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/BCMC/phoenix/phoenix01.htm)
The catalogue for the 1946 Britain Can Make It exhibition has various examples of "swords to ploughshares" stories: wartime production / technological developments being adapted for peacetime purposes. I know there were some glass companies in there - will see what I can dig out.
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Thank you to all for your contributions. I was not certain about the suitability of the subject area, for discussion, particularly being a pacifist, but it is clearly an interesting topic, and I hope we can expand this further.
Regards,
Marcus
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I came across this article , where Chance glass is also mentioned http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/ebglass/eb22glass.htm
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It would be useful if respondents indicated which war is being referred to as the attitude towards glass production during warfare clear differed between WW1 and WW2. The loss of glassmakers in WW1 caused difficulties and this is less of a case regarding WW2 when glass was more clearly seen as vital to the war effort and industrial realignment post war.
However there is at least one case I know of where health issues caused by warfare stopped at least one glassmaker from continuing in the trade. I think it quite likely this occurred a lot but I doubt statistics would be readily available. Analysis of pre-war and post-war trades of those drafted to the wars would be invaluable in assessing the impact. In Germany production and facilities were shifted to Czechoslovakia except for window glass, fibreglass and glass research.
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Once spring arrives and we can again get into our barn, I will try to post a photograph of our WWII U.S. Navy Swivodex. The Swivodex, invented by Arnold Neustadter, (the same fellow who invented the Rolodex) was an ingenious non-spilling inkwell that was particularly well suited for used aboard ships. The ink is contained in a ball that theoretically at least, would remain upright in its holder as the ship rolled. Although I have seen examples in milk glass, the one we have is made of black glass and the black glass stand or holder is marked "Property of the U.S. Navy." Off the top of my head, I do not remember if it is marked with the name of the manufacturer or not. I do know that Neustadter's company was named Zephyr American. My guess is they contracted out the actual manufacturing process.
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Hi Marcus in this attachment is a section on ballistic glass
www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/congress/2005_hr/050621-nyland-catto.pdf -
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I believe early hand grenades also contained glass balls, attached is data on glass used in mine detection and mines in WWII
http://pigtrail.uark.edu/people/rcordell/Defense/minewar.html
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Laboratory glass is an essential in developing biological and chemical weapons of course. Gunsights and eye protection are other uses.
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In my understanding the main war use of glass was for strategic food storage. When WMF stopped producing glass in 1939 and switched to full war production (metal), glass containers had to be produced elsewhere and the glass factory in Leerdam switched to food jars. Something similar happened in Hadeland, and any other free capacity elsewhere was used for preserving army fodder.
I also understand that Leerdam (under German management!) managed to supply glass workers from the Nieuw Buinen plant for forced labour at Siemens in Germany.
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As well as the more evocative CRTs for radar screens, what about the hundreds of thousands of valves (aka tubes in US) used in radar and all radios of the time? Even the so-called "walkie-talkies" contained several valves. They all contained at least two different glass compositions.
You youngsters (sorry) won't remember at first hand the cornucopia of war surplus equipment after WW2 - everything from trucks and aircraft to valves, all at giveaway prices. I personally used dozens of surplus valves for home TV building projects (as well as one radar screen!) and I remember crunching through hundreds of valves in the mud of the scrap yard next door to Sowerbys which had been ripped out of equipment being scrapped.
Adam D.
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Re. Ivo's comment about food storage, the American firm Hazel-Atlas had a large English order during WWI (1915/16) for amber bottles. Apparently they were required to package Bovril Beef Extract and snuff.
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.
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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.
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Oooh, Adam! I remember valves! :D 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! ;D Thinking about it, that must be where I first got my love for glass! :o
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>> 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
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German Glass Smoke Grenades
http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt/german-glass-smoke-grenades.html
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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' :)
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.