A series of massive explosions occured at the Explosive Loading Company’s factory at Uplees Marshes, Faversham, Kent, on 2 April 1916. Around midday on 2nd April 1916, sparks escaped from an ineffective arrester on a boiler house and set alight empty sacks near Shed 833, containing TNT and ammonium nitrate. The work force tried hard to contain the fire but it took hold of the shed and spread. The manager ordered the workforce to leave and at around 1.20 p.m, the building blew up. That explosion triggered further explosions at the two nearby nitro-glycerine washing plants. The main explosion left a crater some 40 yards across and 20 feet deep, destroyed adjacent buildings and caused fires throughout the factory complex. Further explosions occured and there was an ongoing risk of smaller but equally deadly explosions from the munitions and mines. Factory workers, teams of firemen from the factory and from nearby towns' fire brigades, and army personnel attempted to tackle the fires and rescue the injured, many of whom had suffered terrible burns. This community respectfully remembers the 109 men and boys who died and are buried in Faversham Borough Cemetery or elsewhere - 35 of them have death certificates issued in Faversham as 'Male, Unknown'. It also commemorates the survivors, without whose desperate efforts the death toll would have been much higher, and the courage of the rescuers - the party led by Corporal Harris, the Buffs (East Kent) Regiment, and those from the Royal Engineers, who were awarded the MSM in 1917; the party led by 2nd Lieutenant Stebbings, 2nd/3rd West Lancashire Brigade, R.F.A; Stephen Epps and the other brave firemen who attempted to quell the blaze; the ambulance men; and Faversham's three doctors, their wives, and the nurses and VADs, who tirelessly tended the wounded. This community is work-in-progress, there is more to be added
Created by: , Ann39898
British Army 128452 Gunner Royal Garrison Artillery
British Army 685774 Bombardier now Corporal Royal Field Artillery
Born 1895
British Army 1105 Gunner Royal Garrison Artillery
Born 1897
Died 1960
British Army 982 Sapper /Acting Lance Corporal Royal Engineers
Born 1896
British Army 1042 Acting 2nd Corporal Royal Engineers
British Army 1042 Acting Sergeant Royal Engineers 1/4th Company Kent (Fortress)
Other Empire Force Munitions Worker and Fireman Ministry of Munitions
Other Empire Force Munitions Worker and Fireman Ministry of Munitions - Cotton Powder Company's Fire Brigade
Born 1881
Died 1916
Other Empire Force Civilian Faversham Gunpowder Mill
Born 1894
Died 1916
Other Empire Force Civilian Faversham Gunpowder Mill
Born 1898
Died 1916
Other Empire Force Civilian Faversham Gunpowder Mill
Born 1870
Died 1916
British Army T/20242 Private The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
Other Empire Force Munitions Worker Faversham Explosion
Born 1881
Died 1916
Other Empire Force Civilian Faversham Gunpowder Mill