Thornycroft Depth Charge Throwers

Thornycroft depth charge throwers on the production line

Thornycroft designed Mark I depth charge throwers in the Thornycroft Basingstoke plant, with female workers. Taken around 1917 as the first depth charge throwers were tested around July 1917 but were quickly superseded by the Mark II in 1918.  The Thornycroft Basingstoke factory was one of the first in the country to employ women in motor vehicle production and the manufacture of the depth charge throwers was almost entirely by women.  The Ministry of Munitions sent representatives from firms in other parts of the country to the Basingstoke works to see how women were employed.

Mark I depth charge throwers and women production staff