Britain's Munitions Industry in the Second World War

Fighting Fit

Andrew Rawson

• Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
• Year: 2026
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781036136147
• Subtopic: Manufacturing
• Index: History

Britain's armaments industry shaped wartime resilience through organized production, workforce shifts, and strategic adaptations.

This is the history of Britain’s armaments industry during the Second World War.

It begins with the rearmament before the war and shows how a shadow industry was prepared, in response to German aggression. See how industry was organised and programmed, before learning how armaments were researched, designed and developed. The narrative then looks at how enlistment was controlled, how skilled workers were deployed and how manufacturing was diluted, to allow tens of thousands of unemployed men and women to play their part.

The story continues with an explanation of the importance of the coal and oil industries, followed by the development of the metal industries. It then looks at the huge amounts of imports and merchant shipping required, as well as the American Lend Lease programme.

See how factories equipped the Royal Air Force, so it could fight the Battle of Britain, and reequipped the British Army following the disaster at Dunkirk. Also learn how the shipyards worked around the clock on warships and merchant ships, so the Royal Navy could defend the nation and protect the supply convoys. See how the lessons learnt on the battlefield helped modify early factory designs into practical ones. Learn how the war changed relations between the government, the employers, the unions, and the workforce. See how issues could cause widespread industrial unrest, as the cost of living rose and the rules became stricter. Also learn how the desire to improve production improved health and safety at work, welfare arrangements and developed management and human resources. We also see how the Luftwaffe attempt to cripple British industry with its aerial Blitz.

The story ends with a nation being pushed to its limits for a second time in thirty years, before suddenly demobilising, again leaving the British people wondering what the future would hold for them.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Rearmament
• Chapter 2: The Administration
• Chapter 3: Research, Design and Development
• Chapter 4: The Fuel Industries
• Chapter 5: The Metal Industries
• Chapter 6: The Explosives Industry
• Chapter 7: North American Imports
• Chapter 8: Merchant Shipping
• Chapter 9: The Factories
• Chapter 10: Expanding the Workforce
• Chapter 11: Industrial Relations
• Chapter 12: The Blitz
• Chapter 13: The War Ends
• Other Books
• Bibliography
• Notes
• Index
• Plates