Security

Home Guard :
Very little support was given to the efforts to form a Grange Works Platoon in the first months of the Factory, as production had inevitably
to come first, but a Platoon was raised and training was carried on reasonably well while the Factory was working two shifts. With the
advent of a three-shift system, however, when work never stopped excepting for meals and holidays, together with the fact that organised transport
took the workers away and brought them into work, it was found that only employees residing locally could put in the requisite time for training.

This resulted in complaints from the local Battalion Commander, and all agreed that working conditions and disposition of personnel made
it impossible for a works Unit to function efficiently.

On 10th June 1942, Grange Works Unit was disbanded, and members drafted to the units nearest their homes. Cwmbran Company benefitted considerably in efficiency as a consequence, as most of the Factory N.C.Os. were local residents. The Factory Sergeant obtained rapid promotion to the rank of Captain.

The local Military Authorities (not Home Guard) were still dissatisfied about the defences, particularly as enemy aircraft were resorting to ' tip and run' raids. Concern was also expressed at the lack of defence during holidays. Surveys were therefore made and A.A. posts were ' sited ' in the factory area. Squads were required to man these posts, and rotas were drawn up from Home Guard personnel in the factory, and although no real emergency presented itself , some useful training was put in during shut-down periods and at holiday tines, a patrol, from the local Company visited the factory at intervals, and during hours of darkness an in-lying picket was posted,

Finally, when the dropping of saboteurs from enemy aircraft was considered likely, it was required that all factories on G.H.Q.V.P.List
(of which Grange Works was one) should maintain a picket of Home Guards at all times. This presented a new difficulty, and the only feasible
suggestion was to enrol all factory police in the Home Guard, train them in the use of firearms, particularly the Sten gun, and provide them with
ammunition. This was done. In addition, a Factory Defence Officer was appointed, and his function was to muster all Home Guards in the
Factory in case of any emergency.

Immobilisation of Factory in Event of its Imminent Capture by Enemy :
In view of instructions issued, arrangements were made to immobilise this factory, on the lines set out in the instructions. A Committee was formed comprising the Works Manager, Works Engineer, Security Officer and Inspector-in-Charge, A.I.D. Instructions were examined thoroughly, schemes evolved, and the whole plan set out in a secret document.

Before the building of the Factory was completed London and other important provincial cities had been subjected to heavy air
attacks. France also had collapsed, and it was realised that existing precautions must be improved upon, particularly as the enemy could not operate from bases in Normandy.

Internal air raid shelters were constructed against blast walls erected in cruciform dividing what was originally destined to be one large
area of approximately 260,000 square feet into four separate large shops. This made it possible for work to be carried on during an alert until the
last moment since the workers could evacuate in 75 seconds.

Unlike factories existing at the outbreak of war, which were obliged to permanently black out all roof lights, Grange Works was planned
with a north light roof, fitted with sliding shutters operated by a geared mechanism. This scheme made it possible for workers each day to have
the benefit of daylight.

In the planning of' the factory, every precaution was taken to provide for a well-equipped Fire Station, Trailer Pump Houses, Static Water
Tanks, a ring hydrant main right round the Factory, F i r s t Aid Post, Cleansing Station, Spotters` Post and Control Room.

Emergency lighting by a Diesel electric set and storage batteries was planned. This was late in being delivered, with the result that the
difficulty was temporarily overcome by the use of Lucas car headlamps suitably grouped and fed by Lucas car batteries. It transpired that
these temporary means were more frequently put into service than the planned equipment, as most of the alerts occurred before its installation.

Year	Nos. of Alerts	Bombs dropped locally	Factory Evacuations
1941	41	4	2
1942	17	1	1
1943	5	-	-
1944	2	-	-
Totals	65	5	3

As may, be imagined in the early days of Grange Works (1940) it was difficult to raise enthusiasm for the formation of the various squads. This was undoubtedly due to the long period when the war seemed unreal and far-away, coupled with the fact that most of the employees lived in remote towns and villages in the Valleys, and wanted to get home by the special transport provided for them when the day's work was over. Possibly also it was due to the fact that most of the workers had had no initial pre-war A.R.P. training, such as was given to employees at the Birmingham main Works, and which at a grave time in the history of our Country instilled a sense of responsibility and urgency into the people. Nevertheless the task was tackled, and at a very early date an experienced local A.R.P man was engaged who sought to make the workers A.R.P. minded and to create enthusiasm amongst them.

His first endeavour was to form a First Aid Group, and after much patient effort, beset with enormous difficulties (having no permanent accommodation - the First Aid Post not having then been built , and production being first priority) he succeeded in forming a very enthusiastic group. He obtained teams for each shift, and also had staff teams. These he trained with great thoroughness, and over 60 attended the Medical Officer's lectures and received the St. John's Ambulance Certificates. The Grange Works First Aid teams did extremely well in the local Inter-Factory Competitions. The cup put up each year for the Male team, was won three times out of four by Grange Works, while the cup for the Ladies' team, put up annually for three years, was won each time by the Grange Works Ladies team. Inter-departmental competitions were also held annually at Grange Works, which proved a great incentive and created much enthusiasm. It can be definitely stated that Grange Works First Aid and Casualty Service was the most efficient in the entire area, and this was achieved only by sheer perseverance and persistence.

These squads were made up entirely of factory volunteers, who were thoroughly trained , and the factory was covered during each shift . Where absenteeism occurred, volunteer reserves were drawn upon so that should the squads be called upon they would function efficiently. In the Cleansing Squad there were male and female teams, whereas the Decontamination and Rescue Squads were composed of male teams only. During one of the Inter-factory Competitions, the Grange Works Cleansing Squads gave a demonstration with their Cleansing lorry.

This Brigade, too, was formed in 1940, and grew until it became most efficient. ' The six fully trained firemen first engaged took great delight in training new recruits, and before long a very efficient full-time staff of 16 men and 50 part-time volunteers from the factory were operating.

Many troubles and disappointments were experienced here as in other branches of the A.R.P.. It seemed as soon as men became fully trained,
they were called to H.M.Forces, and training of fresh recruits was again necessary, hut by diligence and perseverance these obstacles were overcome.
Competitions and demonstrations were organised -when interest flagged. Men were detailed to the N.F.S. and Rescue Schools, and any high passes were recorded. In a competition held by the N.F.S. for the Newport and Industrial Group, Grange Works team took first place, and the Auxiliary won the cup.
The Brigade became affiliated with the N.F.S.in February 1944, our Officer received the rank of Company Officer. Many successful combined exercises were carried out. The Brigade was very proud of its four female crews, who were staff volunteers, and who worked magnificently doing voluntary standby duty in their own time.

Constant changes in the shift system made the operation of the Firewatching rotas very difficult. Nevertheless a suitable arrangement was ultimately made, 45 firewatchers always being available.

The Spotters' Post was manned continually with two spotters who worked eight-hourly shifts.

The whole of the Management and Senior staff acted as Controllers and Deputies. They operated from the central Control- Room which
was linked to the outside A.R.P. Area Control by a G.P.O. line, whilst the various Factory posts were linked by house telephones. Later, however a
dictograph apparatus was installed which made control much more efficient. A microphone was also installed, which was interconnected with the Works loudspeakers. Evacuation, Imminent Danger and All Clear signals were installed in both the Control Room and Spotters' post:

Mention, too, must be made of the less spectacular but nonetheless necessary work done by the;Wardens, Messengers, Evacuation Officers and the
Utility Service, who performed their tasks in a very efficient manner.

Owing to the initial difficulties and set-backs it cannot be pretended that Grange Works A.R.P. Organisation was the acme of perfection, but
it did set an example of, enthusiasm, perseverance and general co-ordination, which was closely followed by a number of other industrial undertakings in the district .

Grange Works were the instigators of the Cwmbran & District Mutual Aid Society, our Defence Officer and Company Officer being chosen as Liaison Officer and General Secretary respectively.

We also conducted our own A.R.P. School, which was attended by representatives of other Companies, end by members of the local Police. The
examination of the students was conducted by County Police Headquarters, Abergavenny, and only one single failure was recorded throughout the entire period.

The Grange Works A.R.P. Organisation became so well known that on three occasions the Chief and Deputy Chief Umpires were chosen from Grange Works for major exercises held at Newport, Cardiff and Swansea.

Grange Works was also represented by two men and one woman at the Civil Defence Services Stand-down Parade held in London.