By the outbreak of the First World War, there were approximately 900 students in college. Some 300 of them volunteered for war in 1914, joined by 60 staff members.
The South Kensington site was affected by the commencement of hostilities with buildings commandeered for war billeting of soldiers and military work. The War Office pay office took over the top two floors of Goldsmith's extension and RSM rooms and the Army Pay Corps Machine Gun section commandeered the RSM examination hall. Admiralty Inventions & Research Board took over the Engineering Structures lab & hydraulics lab in Goldsmith's.
The Admiralty commandeered the Physics workshop for bomb sighting research. The Air board (royal flying corps) took over the Huxley building drawing office and printing press. The Air Ministry also operated from the engine testing house resulting in complaints of noise from their neighbors.
Irish and Scots Guards Reservists also billeted soldiers in the RSM.
No comments:
Post a Comment