Paper Goes to War
Paper Goes to War
2025 marks 80 years since the end of World War Two.
8th May, 1945, came to be known as Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day. VJ Day, for Victory in Japan, followed on 15th August.
The country celebrated as six years of fighting finally came to an end. Street parties took place in towns and villages, and many workers were given a victory bonus to mark the occasion.
One such street party took place at Nash Mills, as reported by the local press at the time:
A typical VE-Day effort was that at little Nash Mills. On Monday night the rendezvous was the School, which was divided, one part for Community singing, the other for dancing. These festivities went on until the early hours of the morning.
On Tuesday a piano was brought out on to the footpath, and a soldier home on leave came along with a drum. Dancing for the children in the road began, and as a halt was called for each vehicle to pass so was the driver asked to pay a toll for the benefit of the children’s party.
In the afternoon races were run in the road, and the 50 children of the village were given a sumptuous tea. Coupons were freely given for the sweets.
Throughout the evening dancing continued; at dusk a bonfire – conspicuously bearing the swastika sign, was set alight. Then the dancing continued – flood lighting having been improvised on the fronts of some of the houses.
Noticeboards kept staff informed throughout the war. Often these gave safety information or details of working arrangements. On VE Day came the most welcome news of all.
To celebrate, staff at John Dickinsons were given two days of holiday – the rest of the day on which peace was announced, and the day after. A further day of paid holiday was to be given later in the year. Workers were also given a week’s victory bonus after VJ Day in August.
After the VE Day holiday, staff were reminded to ‘get down to the job again’ and work hard until the end of war in Japan.
The war transformed lives across the country, and the paper industry also had to adapt.
Many men were conscripted into the armed forces, and production changed to meet the needs of the war effort. New safety measures were needed to protect factories and civilians from the looming threat of a war fought in the skies.
By 1938, measures were being taken to protect the mills in the event of war. Mills were seen as potential targets for air raids due to paper’s importance as a resource, and their potential to produce munitions in wartime.
Apsley Mill was blacked out at a cost of £8,800, the equivalent of almost £500,000 today. The outside was painted in camouflage to disguise it from enemy bombers, and air raid shelters were built to protect its 5,000 members of staff.
Ground plan of Apsley Mills during World War Two, with air raid shelters marked in red. The Cottage (building 3) and the John Dickinson Enterprise Centre (building 29) are the only remaining buildings today.
Shelters were allocated by department and by sex to prevent overcrowding and ensure staff could quickly get to safety.
Ground plan of Apsley Mills during World War Two, with air raid shelters marked in red.
Shelters were allocated by department and by sex to prevent overcrowding and ensure staff could quickly get to safety.
The Cottage (building 3) and the John Dickinson Enterprise Centre (building 29) are the only remaining buildings today.
Responsibility for air raid safety largely fell to groups known as Air Raid Precautions (ARP). Their many duties included enforcing blackouts, managing air raid sirens, giving information, and reporting bombing incidents.
Being an ARP warden was generally a voluntary role, with wardens often on duty at least three nights a week. Staff were encouraged to give up their time.
Air raids became a normal part of life, and posters such as these gave regular reminders to stay prepared.
Special efforts were made to remind staff to use their gas masks. Machinery with chlorine tanks gave an extra risk to consider when bombs fell.
Several other civil defence groups were also in place.
The Auxiliary Fire Service supported the National Fire Service, and the Fire Guard reported incendiary bombs and fires.
Observer Corps worked from rooftop lookouts and reported on aircraft flying over the area.
Dickinsons had its own Home Guard Platoon, where some men volunteered 50-60 hours a week on top of similar time spent at work.
Paper mills adapted their production to meet the new challenges of wartime.
Supplies of materials such as esparto and wood pulp were cut off, meaning more paper was made from straw and waste paper instead.
Paper Control orders from the government placed limits on production and required that a certain amount of waste paper was used. Propaganda films reminded the public of the importance of saving waste paper and other materials.
As well as paper, Dickinsons produced munitions and machine parts such as sparking plugs, aircraft magnetos, bullets, and mortar bombs to aid in the war effort.
An important item produced was ‘window’, aluminium foil strips that were scattered from planes to confuse enemy radar.
Much of the firm’s wartime production was captured in the company film, Dickinsons in Battledress, produced for members of the workforce returning from military service after the war.
Fuel drop tanks made from paper impregnated with glue were another important product made.
The tanks allowed aircraft to carry extra fuel and fly further, and were jettisoned once empty.
Electric motor made during wartime production of aircraft parts at Apsley Mill.
Electric motor made during wartime production of aircraft parts at Apsley Mill.
Lamp on bracket made during production of aircraft parts at Apsley Mill.
Lamp on bracket made during production of aircraft parts at Apsley Mill.
Push reset relay, used to restore power after a relay is tripped. Made at Apsley Mill.
Push reset relay, used to restore power after a relay is tripped. Made at Apsley Mill.
Manufacturing instructions for push reset relays.
Manufacturing instructions for push reset relays.
A liquid fuel pump made at Apsley Mills.
A liquid fuel pump made at Apsley Mills.
A thermostatic switch, allowing temperature of liquids such as fuel or coolants to be maintained. Made at Apsley Mill.
A thermostatic switch, allowing temperature of liquids such as fuel or coolants to be maintained. Made at Apsley Mill.
Aluminium machine part made during wartime production of aircraft parts at Apsley Mill.
Aluminium machine part made during wartime production of aircraft parts at Apsley Mill.
A page from 'The Reason Why', a brochure sent to customers to show how the company adapted to the needs of the war - and to apologise for less stationery being made.
A page from 'The Reason Why', a brochure sent to customers to show how the company adapted to the needs of the war - and to apologise for less stationery being made.
3-inch mortar shell produced at Apsley Mill.
3-inch mortar shell produced at Apsley Mill.
During the war, Dickinsons produced:
|
Sparking plugs |
30,000 |
|
|
Sparking Plug Insulators |
3,000,000 |
|
|
Aircraft Magnetos |
14,000 |
|
|
Oil Filters for aero and tank engines |
750,000 |
|
|
Oil Dilution Valves |
250,000 |
|
|
Airgraphs |
200,000,000 |
|
|
Anti-Aircraft Shell Fuses |
1,000,000 |
|
|
Oil Cartons |
3,000,000 |
|
|
Mortar Bomb Carriers |
3,000,000 |
|
|
Electric Fuel Booster Pumps and Electric Immersion Fuel Pumps |
75,000 |
|
|
Hydraulic Pumps for Lancaster aircraft |
35,000 |
|
|
‘Window’ anti-Radar |
3,000 tons |
|
|
Shell Fuse Containers |
750,000 |
|
|
Paper Petrol Tanks |
10,000 |
|
|
Paper Thread Protectors |
24,000,000 |
|
|
Insulated Discs |
186,000,000 |
|
|
Electro-Pneumatic Jacks for Merlin Engines |
50,000 |
|
|
‘Resista’ wrap for tropical packaging |
4,000,000 square yards |
|
|
Anti-Aircraft Shell Containers |
520,000 |
|
|
Bullets |
18,210,600 |
|
|
Plastic Components |
15,000,000 |
|
|
Mortar Bombs |
7,000,000 |
|
|
Rocket Tubes |
2,500,000 |
|
|
Demolition Cartons |
235,000 |
|
Women became a major part of the workforce in this time, partly because many men were conscripted to the armed forces. 1,894 men and women from Dickinsons served in the armed forces by 1942, rising to 2,293 in 1943. The war also brought new jobs and changes in attitudes, as everyone wanted to do their bit for the country.
Women were quickly trained to operate machinery and some even became machine setters, a skilled role that had previously only been done by men.
Despite the numbers called away to the armed forces, production at Dickinsons was still able to increase.
Dickinsons also became heavily involved in fundraising to support the war effort, priding themselves on the generosity of their workers.
Staff were encouraged to take part in National Savings Campaigns, and the company supported saving drives such as Salute the Soldier, Wings for Victory, and Warship Week.
The Salute the Soldier campaign of 1944 was a huge success. Dickinson mills passed their fundraising targets by vast amounts, with Apsley raising a total of £84,259 against their target of £16,000.
Their effort allowed each department to adopt a gun, which were inscribed with names such as the ‘Basildon Barrager’, ‘The Paster’, and ‘Pumping Polly’.
A total of £121,035 was raised by Dickinsons in this campaign, worth around £4.5 million today.
Spitfire funds also caught the imagination of the general public. The campaign was promoted by Lord Beaverbrook, Minister for Aircraft Production, with £5,000 stated as the cost to build one Spitfire. Every little helped – from £2,000 for a Merlin engine, down to a set of screws for five shillings.
1,400 campaigns were launched across the country, raising £13 million in its first year – the equivalent of around £650 million today.
Contributors to Spitfire funds would have a dedication of their choice put on the plane. The Kennel Club named its Spitfire ‘The Dog Fighter’, whilst another named ‘Dorothy of Great Britain and Empire’ was paid for by a fund from women named Dorothy.
The Hemel Hempstead Spitfire, named for the money raised by the town during Wings for Victory week.
The Hemel Hempstead Spitfire, named for the money raised by the town during Wings for Victory week.
The Hemel Hempstead Spitfire, named for the money raised by the town during Wings for Victory week.
The war memorial garden at the Apsley Mills Cottage stands as a lasting tribute to the workers of John Dickinson & Co who lost their lives in the world wars.
The memorial was dedicated on June 16th 1922 at a service attended by hundreds of local residents, workers, and families.
The memorial was moved to its present location outside Apsley Mills Cottage in 1989.
On Armistice Day each year, a service of remembrance takes place at the memorial to honour the fallen.
To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day in 2025, lamps were lit at the memorial in an act of remembrance.
The first lamp, a beacon of hope, symbolised the sacrifices within the local area and of communities across the United Kingdom.
The second lamp, a beacon of peace, symbolised the light of a peaceful future emerging from the darkness of war, and gave a tribute to sacrifices made.
The final lamp shined a light on the animals that served in the war. Horses, donkeys, and mules served as beasts of burden; whilst dogs sniffed out landmines, carried messages, and served as watchdogs. Over 200,000 pigeons were also used by the British military to carry messages.
The service was mirrored across the country in tribute to the events of 80 years ago.
This exhibition has been created with the help of a Victory 80 grant from Museum Development South East.
Frogmore Paper Mill is a working museum operated by the Apsley Paper Trail Trust, which exists to preserve the extensive paper heritage of the Gade Valley and convey the stories of its significant paper past.
The Michael Stanyon Archive was founded in 1999 and offers a wealth of information about topics relating to papermaking and its history, with a particular focus on the local area and local businesses of John Dickinson & Co and the British Paper Company.
You can learn more about the archive at https://www.frogmorepapermill.org.uk/archive/ or by emailing archive@frogmorepapermill.org.uk
The Apsley Paper Trail, registered charity no. 1079008
Built with Shorthand