The huge demand for explosives during the First World War created a requirement for a large new factory solely to produce ammonium nitrate. It was built on a 67-acre site in the railway town of Swindon. Construction began in January 1917 and, as pressure of war tends to expedite such matters, in spite of the scale of the work it was far enough advanced to commence some production in July 1917, building up to 500 tons a week in time for the major battles on the Western Front in 1918 which would bring the war to an end. Its purpose achieved, the factory closed in April 1919. This book provides a detailed history of the development of the plant, the processes involved, the workforce (heavily dependent on women) and the internal railways. A comprehensive photographic collection depicting the site has survived and provides many of the superb photos used to illustrate this book