"Pack up Your Troubles" was a weekend of events to celebrate the centenary of the townships of Gretna and Eastriggs. Many events were planned, the most exciting of which was a bus tour of HM Factory, Gretna. This was the largest Cordite factory in the UK during WW1 and is located right next to the Solway Firth. It was built as a result of the Shell crisis in 1915, when not enough shells were being produced to cope with the demand from the front. The factory site is owned by the MOD and entry is forbidden but special permission had been granted for this weekend. The factory stretched for 9 miles from Longtown, near Carlisle, to Eastriggs and Dornock crossing over the English/Scottish border. It was chosen because of its remoteness - being a munitions factory this was a big consideration! However there was good access for services and supplies.The site was huge and the townships of Eastriggs and Gretna were specially built for the workers. Gretna was the first "...
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