The Naval Ordnance Department,[1] also known as the Department of the Director of Naval Ordnance,[2] was a former department of the
Admiralty responsible for the procurement of naval ordnance of the
Royal Navy. The department was managed by a Director, supported by various assistants and deputies; it existed from 1891 to 1958.
Precursors
Before 1855 the supply of guns and ammunition to the Royal Navy was the responsibility of the
Ordnance Board, which was also concerned with supplying ordnance to the Army and which tended to concentrate on the latter function, although naval officers served on the board and on the Ordnance Select Committee which succeeded it. The Ordnance Board was abolished in May 1855, its responsibilities for naval ordnance passed to the
War Office, where a naval officer was appointed
Naval Director-General of Artillery within the
Artillery Branch. He retained that title from 1858 to 1868, when he was also
Director of Stores, War Office ; he was also the
Vice-President of the Ordnance Select Committee.[3]
History
A Director-General, subsequently Director of Naval Ordnance, in the
Controller's Department of the Admiralty was first appointed in 1866, but he did not take over procurement of naval ordnance from the War Office until 1888 or custody and supply until 1891, when a Naval Ordnance Department was finally established at the Admiralty.[3]
By stages from 1908 the Admiralty also took over responsibility from the War Office for inspecting naval ordnance when a Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance was appointed. The
Royal Ordnance Factories, under the control of the War Office, continued, however, to manufacture naval ordnance though a large proportion, including most of the heaviest guns, was let to private contract.[3]
From 1917 until the department was responsible for mines and torpedoes. Between 1918 and 1923 and again from 1939 there was a separate
Armament Supply Department.The Naval Ordnance Inspection Department was set up in 1922 to control quality in the manufacture and testing of weapons and ammunition for the fleet. Chemical and metallurgical analysis was carried out at its laboratories at Sheffield (the
Bragg laboratory) and Caerwent.[3]
In 1958 the two were re-united as divisions of the
Weapons Department, under the
Director General of Weapons (Director General, Weapons from 1960 to 1964). Bragg continued as the Naval Ordnance Inspection (later Service) and Metallurgical Unit (NOIMU, later NOSMU) until 1984 when it was closed and its work transferred to Woolwich. Caerwent laboratory continued investigating propellants until 1971.[3]
The Naval Ordnance Department,[1] also known as the Department of the Director of Naval Ordnance,[2] was a former department of the
Admiralty responsible for the procurement of naval ordnance of the
Royal Navy. The department was managed by a Director, supported by various assistants and deputies; it existed from 1891 to 1958.
Precursors
Before 1855 the supply of guns and ammunition to the Royal Navy was the responsibility of the
Ordnance Board, which was also concerned with supplying ordnance to the Army and which tended to concentrate on the latter function, although naval officers served on the board and on the Ordnance Select Committee which succeeded it. The Ordnance Board was abolished in May 1855, its responsibilities for naval ordnance passed to the
War Office, where a naval officer was appointed
Naval Director-General of Artillery within the
Artillery Branch. He retained that title from 1858 to 1868, when he was also
Director of Stores, War Office ; he was also the
Vice-President of the Ordnance Select Committee.[3]
History
A Director-General, subsequently Director of Naval Ordnance, in the
Controller's Department of the Admiralty was first appointed in 1866, but he did not take over procurement of naval ordnance from the War Office until 1888 or custody and supply until 1891, when a Naval Ordnance Department was finally established at the Admiralty.[3]
By stages from 1908 the Admiralty also took over responsibility from the War Office for inspecting naval ordnance when a Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance was appointed. The
Royal Ordnance Factories, under the control of the War Office, continued, however, to manufacture naval ordnance though a large proportion, including most of the heaviest guns, was let to private contract.[3]
From 1917 until the department was responsible for mines and torpedoes. Between 1918 and 1923 and again from 1939 there was a separate
Armament Supply Department.The Naval Ordnance Inspection Department was set up in 1922 to control quality in the manufacture and testing of weapons and ammunition for the fleet. Chemical and metallurgical analysis was carried out at its laboratories at Sheffield (the
Bragg laboratory) and Caerwent.[3]
In 1958 the two were re-united as divisions of the
Weapons Department, under the
Director General of Weapons (Director General, Weapons from 1960 to 1964). Bragg continued as the Naval Ordnance Inspection (later Service) and Metallurgical Unit (NOIMU, later NOSMU) until 1984 when it was closed and its work transferred to Woolwich. Caerwent laboratory continued investigating propellants until 1971.[3]