Were Iron Railings Cut Down in WW2 in the UK Actually Dumped at Sea Rather Than Used for the War Effort?
Debunking the Myth
During World War II, the UK faced a dire shortage of raw materials. To boost supplies, a campaign was launched to collect iron railings from homes, parks, and businesses. The prevailing belief is that these railings were melted down to produce weapons and other war materials. However, evidence suggests that a significant portion of these railings may have actually ended up in the sea.
The "Railings for Victory" Campaign
The "Railings for Victory" campaign began in 1940 and aimed to collect 300,000 tons of railings. The government encouraged the public to donate their railings, and over 1 million tons were ultimately gathered.
The Missing Railings
After the war, only a fraction of the collected railings could be accounted for in the production of weapons and other war materiel. This raised questions about the fate of the missing railings.
Dumped at Sea
In the 1970s, it was revealed that over 200,000 tons of railings had been dumped at sea. This practice began in 1943 when the Ministry of Works instructed scrap metal merchants to dispose of railings deemed unsuitable for the war effort.
Reasons for Dumping
Several factors contributed to the decision to dump the railings at sea:
- Low quality: Many of the railings were old and rusted, making them unsuitable for smelting.
- Transportation costs: The cost of transporting the railings to factories was prohibitive.
- Shortage of storage space: Warehouses were already overflowing with other scrap metal.
Conclusion
The myth that all iron railings cut down in WW2 in the UK were used for the war effort is false. A substantial quantity of these railings was actually dumped at sea due to their low quality, transportation costs, and lack of storage space.
FAQs
- How much of the collected railings were dumped at sea? Over 200,000 tons.
- Why were the railings considered unsuitable for the war effort? They were often old and rusted.
- What other materials were collected in the "Railings for Victory" campaign? Steel and cast iron.
- How did the public respond to the campaign? They were very supportive and donated over 1 million tons of railings.
- What was the total amount of railings originally collected? Over 1 million tons.
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