Brave West Lothian women who made explosives for war efforts remembered

A community memorial to highlight the wartime service of Linlithgow’s ‘munitionettes’ - women who made explosives at Nobel’s Regent Works Munitions Factory was laid at the weekend.

Over the course of WW1 and WW2, 500 female munitions workers made over 11 million incendiary bombs; a vital part of Britain’s war effort. In recognition of their service, and remembrance of their sacrifices, a wreath of handmade yellow poppies will be laid at the former site of the munitions factory in Linlithgow on Remembrance Day weekend.

On February 5 1943, four Linlithgow munitionettes died in an explosion as they worked in the munitions factory - Jane Baillie, Barbara Baillie, Margaret Wilson and Susan Allan.

This year the four women’s names were formally added to the Roll of Honour at the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle. In other parts of the UK, it’s become customary to lay yellow wreaths in remembrance of munitionettes’ work, referencing the chemical poisoning from working with TNT that stained their skin ‘canary yellow’.

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Local researchers have been uncovering the stories of Linlithgow’s munitionettes, leading to a popular series of talks and events, and ongoing discussions about a permanent statue to be erected in the town in their honour. This Remembrance Sunday, local women had asked for permission to join the formal Remembrance Sunday parade in Linlithgow and to lay a wreath at the war memorial in St Michael’s Church. That permission being denied, the group have instead created their own memorial; a wreath of handmade yellow poppies.

Local researcher and Linlithgow resident Kathryn Welch said: “Linlithgow’s munitionettes are an important part of our local history, and played a vital role in the war effort. They deserve to be proudly remembered alongside the many other Linlithgow folk who gave their lives in the wars. We hope our memorial this Remembrance Day will give local people an opportunity to pay their respects, and to take one step closer toward a permanent marker for this proud part of our local history”.

The wreath was laid at the Regent Centre in Linlithgow, the site of the former munitions factory, immediately outside the entrance to Tesco. The wreath was laid on Saturday November, and remained in place throughout Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.

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