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The Ministry of Munition commissioned the National Filling Factory at White Lund and construction began in November 1915 with output from the factory starting seven months later in 1916. The site covered 400 acres and consisted of approximately 150 buildings. The factory received empty shells from other locations such as the projectile factory on Caton Road (Lancaster), which were then filled with explosives including amatol. More than 8,000 people worked in the White Lund and Caton Road factories at their peak, and three quarters of the workers were women.
On the evening of October 1, 1917, an explosion occurred at the filling factory at White Lund which was so strong its force was felt as far away as Burnley and Rossendale. Fortunately, the majority of factory workers were still on their break in the canteen when the fire alarm was raised at around 10.30 pm. A fire had started in one of the melt plants and during the night ten people were killed, the majority of whom were firemen, although others were seriously injured.
Numerous explosions took place overnight, with the biggest occurring at around 3.00 am. Shells which had been filled at the factory began to explode and were seen flying overhead into Morecambe Bay and Lancaster. Some people's homes shook so violently that ornaments fell off their mantelpieces, and many families were so scared they moved out of the area, fearing more danger.
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