Thursday, July 1, 1915
Billets – La Crêche
The Battalion War Diarist wrote nothing for this day: [1]
THIS DAY IN RMR HISTORY: “The manufacture of clothing for the new British armies is proceeding in the woolen centres of Yorkshire on a colossal scale.
It is estimated that between 250 and 300 miles of khaki cloth and its substitutes, from 54 inches to 56 inches wide, are being woven every week, and that at least 80 per cent of all textile machinery is engaged on the army work.
Over 12,000 looms are busy, working on an average nearly “time and a half.” One mill alone produces 40 miles of cloth weekly.
Some 50,000 tailors and tailoresses are making up the material into garments, working in most cases 8 a.m. to 9 or 9:30 p.m., the work as a whole being supervised by a committee of experts appointed by the War Office.
In regard to army boots, some 200 factories in the kingdom are devoting about 60 per cent of their total output to their manufacture. About 20 factories in Leeds alone produce some 40,000 pairs a week.
Army contracts have been booked and will take from three to six months to complete. A Leeds firm was recently asked to tender for the supply of 2,000,000 pairs for the Russian army, but the request had to be refused.” [2]
[1] War Diary, 14th Canadian Battalion, The Royal Montreal Regiment, July 1, 1915. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e044/e001089762.jpg
[2] “Clothing Kitchener`s Army,” The Quebec Chronicle, Quebec, Quebec, Tuesday, June 29, 1915 pg. 2, col. 5.