Horse Chestnuts.
Required For Munitions.
As a result of the statements that an important war-time use has-been found for horse chestnuts and that chestnut clubs might be formed to arrange for the collection of the nuts, correspondents have asked for whom the nuts are needed.
They are required by the Government for the Ministry of Munitions, so that any fears that private firms or persons may benefit by the voluntary service of those who do the collecting may be dismissed. The nuts will replace cereals which have been necessary for the production of an article of importance in the prosecution of the war.
Circulars will be sent to all bodies whose assistance would be welcomed giving information regarding the collection and dispatch of the nuts.
Encouraged by these reports, posters throughout the town and the lead of the local Boy Scouts, in just a few weeks the children of Corsham managed to collect three tons of Horse Chestnuts that were then delivered to the Parish Council in November 1917.
It is believed that 7s and 6d (about 40p) was offered for every hundredweight of conkers collected. 3 tons equals 60 hundredweight - so about £24.00 was made in extra pocket money!
Conkers were used towards the end of the war because they contain a small amount of acetone which can be used to make cordite, an ingredient used in munitions factories to create exploding shells and bullets. At the time, however, the Government were loathe to spell out the actual use for fear enemies might copy the practice.
Disappointingly, later reports suggest that the use of conkers was not particularly successful.
They are required by the Government for the Ministry of Munitions, so that any fears that private firms or persons may benefit by the voluntary service of those who do the collecting may be dismissed. The nuts will replace cereals which have been necessary for the production of an article of importance in the prosecution of the war.
Circulars will be sent to all bodies whose assistance would be welcomed giving information regarding the collection and dispatch of the nuts.
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| Image from the BBC World War One website. |
Encouraged by these reports, posters throughout the town and the lead of the local Boy Scouts, in just a few weeks the children of Corsham managed to collect three tons of Horse Chestnuts that were then delivered to the Parish Council in November 1917.
It is believed that 7s and 6d (about 40p) was offered for every hundredweight of conkers collected. 3 tons equals 60 hundredweight - so about £24.00 was made in extra pocket money!
Conkers were used towards the end of the war because they contain a small amount of acetone which can be used to make cordite, an ingredient used in munitions factories to create exploding shells and bullets. At the time, however, the Government were loathe to spell out the actual use for fear enemies might copy the practice.
Disappointingly, later reports suggest that the use of conkers was not particularly successful.
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