Shell Crisis of 1915
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Shell Crisis of 1915 brought down the government of the United Kingdom during World War I) because it was widely perceived that the production of artillery shells for use by the British Army was inadequate.
After the failure of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the British Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Sir John French mentioned to The Times war correspondent, Colonel Charles Repington, that it failed due to a lack of shells. The Shell Scandal was reported back to the Home Front by The Times, which described the scandal in graphic detail, clearly pointing the finger of blame at the government.
This led to the Shell Crisis of 1915, which brought down the Liberal British government under the Premiership of Herbert Henry Asquith. He formed a new coalition government dominated by Liberals and appointed Lloyd George as Minister of Munitions. It was a recognition that the whole economy would have to be geared for war if the Allies were to prevail on the Western Front.
Supplies and factories in British Commonwealth countries, particularly Canada, were reorganised under the Imperial Munitions Board, in order to supply adequate shells for the remainder of the war. A huge new munitions factory, HM Factory, Gretna was built on the English-Scottish border.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
Adams, R.J.A., (1978). Arms and the Wizard: Lloyd George and the Ministry of Munitions 1915 -1916. London: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-29916-2. Lloyd George, David, (1933). War memoirs of David Lloyd George. London: Ivor Nicholson & Watson.
