Edinburgh, South Australia
Free from, Australian History
| Edinburgh | |||||||
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| Map of Salisbury explosives factory. | |||||||
| lga | City of Salisbury | ||||||
| postcode | 5111 | ||||||
Suburbs around Edinburgh:
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History
Salisbury Factory Explosion Claims Life
Monday 19 Oct 1942, Edna May Purling, 39, of Carlton Parade, Torrensville, was killed in an explosion while handling explosives at a government factory in Salisbury, South Australia. The incident caused damage to the building and equipment. An investigation was initiated by the Munitions Department’s safety committee, with members arriving from Melbourne to assess the situation.[1] The most dangerous operations carried out in any industry’ involved the manufacture and handling of the extremely azide and styphnate used in detonators. Miss Edna May Purling met her death early Monday morning in October 1942 when some styphnate she was weighing got knocked over. The fact that this accident was the sole fatality during the whole life of the factory is a testimony to its safety precautions and strict controls, which is even more remarkable considering that only six of the more than one hundred production staff of chemists and engineers originally had much knowledge about explosives manufacturing. [2]Edinburgh Airfield
On the 22nd March 1954, Edinburgh Airfield in South Australia received its name in recognition of the Duke of Edinburgh, honoring his association with the British royal family.[3] In 1954, Edinburgh Airfield was constructed near Salisbury, South Australia, replacing the air component previously located at Mallala as part of the Long Range Weapons Establishment (LRWE) reorganization. Initially, it was used for joint project flying, particularly for guided weapons trials. By the mid-1960s, the airfield’s role in these projects began to decline. However, in 1968, after a major reorganization of the Woomera Range activities, Edinburgh Airfield transitioned into a key operational air base, continuing to support the remaining trials and eventually becoming home to the RAAF’s fleet of P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.[4]References
- 1. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48887756 Fatal Explosion at S.A. Factory, The Advertiser, 1942
- 2. Fire Across the Desert, By Peter Morton, 1989, P.48
- 3. Place names of South Australia, By R.Praite and J.C.Tolley, 1970, P.40.
- 4. Fire Across the Desert, 1989, P.135.
