From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Summarizing a meeting regarding gun production coordination with B.U.S.M. and supply issues to the Admiralty.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 176\3\ img082 | |
| Date | 2nd November 1940 | |
| GUN #C2 To Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} from Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/CTS.{C. Trot Salt - Carburation} Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/CTS.{C. Trot Salt - Carburation}1/LT.2.11.40. GUN PRODUCTION. For our record purposes, the following is a summary of the points settled in connection with the above, between B.U.S.M. and ourselves. It is worthy of note that this meeting was brought about by the appointment of Mr. Holmes to co-ordinate production for B.U.S.M., because they are getting so far behind in their programme of supply to the Admiralty. The reasons for all this are exactly as we anticipated many weeks ago, the main one being that a production department cannot operate successfully as such when its erecting shop is primarily interested in development. The situation is still further involved when that development is dictated directly from the Design Department. Although the above did not arise in the course of this discussion HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} has solved this problem by arranging for two of his men to go over to B.U.S.M. immediately, so that production can be completely carried out in Leicester. Further to this, he will retain sufficient material at Sinfin to build nine guns in all, and the remaining stock is to be shifted from Sinfin stores to Leicester this week end. This means that there will be two sources erecting guns in the immediate future, and by the time HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} has completed his nine guns, B.U.S.M. should be self-supporting. Having collected all the available stock from Sinfin Stores, Mr. Holmes will take stock of all gun production pieces, and so formulate his programme that the necessary extra effort can be concentrated upon the long distance jobs. In this way, it was stated that a figure of 36 guns should be arrived at, to be completed by the end of this year. The possibility of doing this will depend upon the size of the shortage list, after the stocktaking previously mentioned. There are fairly good stocks of most of the essential pieces already; the cradle of course is the piece for which B.U.S.M.'s machining time will dictate their actual output of guns per week. ISSUE OF DRAWINGS AND MODIFICATIONS. It was suggested that the issue of alterations and the authority to hold up production on certain pieces, should rest directly with Vs.{J. Vickers} This to go into effect from henceforth. The fact that such alterations will no longer pass via Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/CTS.{C. Trot Salt - Carburation} will have no effect on the job, because in any case a further set of all such alterations pass via HPS{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}/LB. | ||