According to the Commonwealth Year Book (No. 5 of 1912, p.1244) the Small Arms Factory at Lithgow opened on 8 June 1912. Subsequent Year Books (e.g. No. 12 of 1919 p.1018) list the opening date as 1 June 1912. Legislation under the Defence Act 1903-1911, Section 63 (1) (d) enabled the Commonwealth Government to "establish and maintain arms and ammunition factories." 1. Section 63 (1) (db) authorized "the employment of persons in a civil capacity for any purpose in connexion with the Defence Force, or in any factory established in pursuance of this Act." 2.

The Department of Defence [1] (CA 6) was made responsible, under the Minister, for the administration of the Factory.
 
The Department had chosen the site for the Factory in 1909. At the same time tenders were sought for plant to manufacture 15,000 .303 Lee-Enfield rifles per annum; for the construction of buildings; and for the supply of a power plant. Contracts were respectively awarded to Pratt and Whitney (USA), Jones and Allman, and the New South Wales State Government Dockyard. Applications were called for personnel to be trained for the operation of the Factory. Six mechanics were selected and sent to the Pratt and Whitney Factory in the USA to undergo training. A Pratt and Whitney engineer, Mr A.C. Wright, was appointed the factory's first manager. Mr F.R. Ratcliffe, a former employee of the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield (UK) and of Pratt and Whitney, was appointed Assistant Manager. In 1912 there were 250 employees.

By 1913 the factory had produced the first consignment of .303 Lee-Enfield rifles for the defence forces.

During World War I production was increased, new buildings erected and additional machinery acquired from Pratt and Whitney. Employment had increased to 1,300 by 1915/16 when the first apprentices were taken on to train under skilled tradesmen. In the post war period production decreased and there was a consequent retrenchment of employees in 1922. From 1924 parts for Vickers .303 inch calibre belt fed machine guns were produced. Building extensions were implemented to facilitate manufacture of the Vickers and in 1928 the first complete weapon was produced and the factory produced components and articles for the non-military, commercial market. The 1930's saw staff numbers reduced to 250. For the first time the Factory manufactured components and entire stores for commercial enterprise.

Manufacture of .303 inch calibre Bren light machine guns commenced proper on 8 January 1941. A total of 12,000 people were employed by the Lithgow and other newly established Small Arms Factories during World War II. Peak production of small arms amounted to 4,000 rifles, 150 Bren guns and 70 Vickers machine guns per week. Bren and Vickers gun production ceased at the close of the war. Production of the .303 Lee-Enfield rifle continued until 1956. By 1959 the factory had been reorganised with new buildings and new plant and large-scale manufacture of the 7.62mm L1A1 rifle commenced. Production of other military weapons, components and ammunition - as well as firearms for the civilian market, was undertaken.

From 21 December 1921 to 13 November 1939 the Factory came under the supervision of the Defence Department [II] (CA 19). The Department's Munitions Supply Board was made responsible for the administration of the Government Factories established under the Defence Act. By September 1924 the Manager of the Factory was F.R. Ratcliffe and he was still in that position by September 1926. A.S. Ford was the Manager and J. Finlay Assistant Manager by October 1936.

The Factory came under the control of the Department of Supply and Development [I] (CA 33) from 13 November 1939 to 12 June 1940. Control then passed to the Department of Munitions (CA 39) until 6 April 1948. Under that Department the Factory was organised and directed through the Central Administration as a Commonwealth Government Munitions Establishment, by the five member Board of Factory Administration. The policies of the Board were implemented by a Business Administrator who was also responsible for other Commonwealth Government Munitions Establishments in New South Wales. Branch Factory Board Offices worked with the Business Administrator on policy implementation. State Boards of Area Management were also established.

From 6 April 1948 to 16 March 1950 the Department of Supply and Development [II] (CA 54) assumed responsibility for the Factory. Control then passed to the Department of Supply (CA 57) until 11 May 1951. Within that Department a section called Munitions Production most likely determined production policy with respect to the Lithgow Factory. A Board of Management for Munitions Factories was responsible for the administration, management, operation and maintenance of munitions production undertakings. When the Department of Defence Production (CA 58) took the Factory under its control from 1951 until 23 April 1958 the existing system of administrative control was maintained with very little change.

As of 23 April 1958 the Factory came under the control of the Department of Supply (CA 57). By 1959 Lee-Enfield rifle production had ceased and large scale production of the 7.62 mm L1A1 rifle for the defence forces had commenced, as well as expanded production in other areas.  Within the Department of Supply the factory was placed under 'Munitions and Aircraft Production', renamed Munitions Supply Division by July 1961. At its head was the Controller-General of Munitions Supply, known by July 1961 as the Controller-General of Production, and by July 1968 as the Controller of Production. Under the Controller-General were officers known as Controllers and then, by July 1968, as Deputy or Assistant Controllers. The Controller of Ammunition and Small Arms Supply, sometimes known as the Controller of Ordnance and Small Arms Supply, was responsible for the control of production at the Lithgow Factory and other munitions establishments. The Board of Management for Munitions Factories, known as the Board of Management for Production by July 1961 and the Production Board by 1972, was charged with the administration, management, operation and maintenance of the Lithgow Factory and other munitions manufactories. The Manager of the Factory by August 1958 was A.S. Cooley. By July 1961 the Manager was R.S. Thompson and by June 1964 G.D. White.

On 12 June 1974 the Department of Manufacturing Industry (CA 1770) took over control of munitions production in departmental establishments and for this purpose the Munitions Supply Division and its offices of Controller, Deputy Controller and Assistant Controllers were maintained. These arrangements continued as control of the Lithgow Factory was passed to the Department of Industry and Commerce (CA 1956) on 22 December 1975, the Department of Productivity (CA 2129) on 8 November 1976, the Department of Industry and Commerce (again) on 3 November 1980 and the Department of Defence Support (CA 3254) on 7 May 1983. The Deputy Controller was renamed First Assistant Controller by February 1984. By July 1983 G.D. White had vacated the position of General Manager at the Factory. S.E. Silk was General Manager (Acting) by March 1984 and General Manager by March 1985.

On 13 December 1984 the Factory was placed under the Department of Defence [III] (CA 46). Administrative control continued to be exercised by the renamed Munitions Division which was put under the supervision of the Office of Defence Production. By May 1986 the Munitions Division and its offices had been replaced by the Munitions Group and its offices of First Assistant Secretary and Special Adviser Production. The Manager of the Factory by this time was 
D.J. Barclay.

Circa 1977 the administrative organisation of the factory was such that the Manager oversaw five different functions: Administration, Production, Planning, Engineering and Metallurgy/Chemistry/Metrology. Assistant Managers were placed in charge of the first four functions. A Chief Inspector was responsible for the last named function.

The Assistant Manager of Administration was in charge of Accounting and Personnel. Under the Assistant Manager of Production were Engineers responsible for divisions of Rifle Production, Process, Miscellaneous Production and General Production/Automatic Screw Machines/Fuze Production. The Assistant Manager of Planning was in charge of the Planning Engineer and the Projects Group Engineer. Under the Assistant Manager of Engineering was the Engineer responsible for the Computer Aided Processes Group and the Industrial Engineering Group; the Engineer responsible for the Drawing Office and the Toolroom and Development; and the Engineer responsible for General Maintenance Services, Works Planning, and Plant and Safety. The Chief Inspector was directly responsible for Metallurgy/Chemistry/Metrology.


REFERENCES

1. Commonwealth of Australia Act No. 15 of 1911, Defence Act 
   1903-1911
2. Ibid


SOURCES

Commonwealth of Australia Act No. 15 of 1911, Defence Act 1903-1911  
Index to Departmental Activities 1918, 1919, 1920
The Federal Guide for the years 1921 to 1958
Alphabetical Supplement to the 1958 Federal Guide 1959
Commonwealth Directory for the years 1961 to 1972
Australian Government Directory for the years 1973 to 1975
A Guide to Commonwealth Departments and Authorities 1976
Commonwealth Government Directory for the years 1977 to 1982
Commonwealth Government Directory Volume 1, Offices and personnel, for the years 1983 to 1986
Commonwealth Government Directory 1987-88 (interim edition)
Department of Productivity, Australian Government Small Arms Factory,
 Lithgow, Brunswick (Victoria), not dated

Historical agency address
Lithgow NSW

Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Act No. 15 of 1911, Defence Act 1903-1911

Superior agency unregistered

       1912-       1916: Subject to further research 
13 Apr 1960-    by 1972: Board of Management for Production 
    by 1972-     ? 1989: Production Board
08 Nov 1976-03 Nov 1980: Department of Productivity, Regional Office,
                         NSW