Ford Rouge Naval Service School 1941

This image was posted on today's Ford News. The associated story is that at one point in time, at least during the first half of the 1940s, Ford leased Rouge land and equipment to the Navy, as well as provided their trade school / apprenticeship manpower and resources to prepare new Seamen for their military roles as machinists and electricians.

What is the idea of the stupid rope tied between the lathes does Naval discipline equate to a broken leg or worse, in the case of an emergency, Looks a real hazhard to me, Still our lot over here would have many of the same crazy and petty regulations.

cutting oil Mac said:

What is the idea of the stupid rope tied between the lathes does Naval discipline equate to a broken leg or worse, in the case of an emergency, Looks a real hazhard to me, Still our lot over here would have many of the same crazy and petty regulations.

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If you look close, the chain goes from post to post, with a small aisle between the lathes and the chain. Maybe to remind the men to not walk directly into a busy aisle way?

I think it's to keep people in the walkway from entering the lathe operators area.

I'd say the lathes look like South Bends, though the motor mounted outside the "bell" front base casting (or "plinth" as our UK brethren sometimes call it) has me wondering.

Lathes all gleam with shiny enamel, sailors all in clean clothing, and instructor with a bow tie.... looks like it might have been a staged photo. No safety glasses on anyone, so this might also go with the staged photo idea. I also wonder where those sailors went after their training, and how many of them came home after the war.

Years ago, when I was working at the powerplant, we had a group of West Point cadets come through on a tour. I was asked to address them as well as answer questions they might have had. As I stood before the group, I automatically was addressing each cadet as "Ma'am" or "Sir", and as I stood there, I found myself wondering where these young people would be sent once they graduated and got their commissions. At the time, the USA was heavily embroiled in military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, so it was not inconceivable that they'd be sent to where the action was. I found myself wondering how may would be injured, suffer PTSD over their lifetimes, or get killed in action. I found myself standing there in an attitude of awe and respect for these young people, not just for having made the grade and survived a few years at West Point, but for their bigger picture. The sailors in this picture are obviously going to be posted to various places where the Navy had need of them, and many could have wound up in the Pacific, seeing heavy action.

Whats "Ford news"?

rustytool said:

I think it's to keep people in the walkway from entering the lathe operators area.

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...Or not to step out into the area under the crane....

Don't think they are SB's Headstock details do not look like a SB.

Tom

Look like Hendey machines to me

In further reply to this thread, It is a rather dark photograph, I did not pick up the chains were affixed to posts, A thought has also occured to me, there seems as mentioned a large electric motor under the lathe, outside the pedestal, As ships in those days frequently had direct current supply (The llarger capital battleships had alternating power Enough to power a small town easily) could it be that the motors were variable speed units I suppose it makes sense to train up personnel on the machines they are most likely going to find themselves landed with in an emergency situation

The young men in the photograph, would be in a similar military status to what we would have come across in the British navy, a quick and thorough training to fit them for heaven knows what sort of shambles they might be landed with in the aftermath of a naval action.


Some years back i worked along side an ex army engineering artificer who was the sole factotum in charge of a small mobile workshop, He had served his apprenticeship in one of the local crane building concerns, and on call up was lucky enough to be assigned to mobile workshop duties, In his miltary service he said varied was the tasks flung his way I asked him what was the equipment like in your shop, Well it consisted of a 6"centre height Denham lathe , These are pretty sturdy little machines , A 10" stroke shaper , drilling machine pedestal grinder and most important for the military a dolly buff for polishing components to a mirror finish

The man in question was in Cyprus during the uprising and narrowly missed a booby trap bomb set under his car, he actually gained his Ordinary National engineering certificate at night school at Famagusta technical college , All in all he seems to have had an interesting two years.