In Dumfriesshire, the most striking change during the Great War was to occur around Gretna. Here the largest cordite factory in the UK was established, work commencing on the factory in 1915, with completion in 1916. Throughout the region the impact of the First World War was felt greatly by the local communities, which were decimated by the losses suffered during the conflict. The huge influx of workers to H.M. Factory Gretna disrupted areas of daily life and caused an increase in crime. The population of Dumfriesshire supported those who directly suffered as a result of the war, in a number of ways, including the production of wound dressings, the provision of auxiliary hospitals and fundraising efforts to provide support to refugees. There was no common experience of the conflict and the aspects explored help to illustrate experiences, shaped by the First World War, of the Dumfriesshire population. AUTHOR: Timothy McCracken studied history at Lancaster University and the University of Copenhagen. He has previously researched and co-authored 'Langholm's Roll of Honour' which profiles casualties and decoration recipients from Langholm in the two World Wars. He has also written feature articles, on historical topics, for local newspapers.
