IT was 1903 and the need for the short magazine Lee Enfield Rifle .303 calibre had been noted and adopted as the standard armament for the infantry of the British Army.
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There was record of whether rifles were in fact ordered but certainly the word was out that there was an increased growing likelihood of Australian Manufacturer of the rifle.
It is here Lithgow enters the picture more seriously. Representatives of the Lithgow Progress Association made proposals to the the local member of parliament for consideration to be given to the selection of Lithgow as a proposed site for a manufactury of small arms or arsenal, this alternative to procuring weapons from the United Kingdom.
In 1904 the proprietor of the Eskbank Ironworks at Lithgow, William Sandford, wrote to the Sydney Daily Telegraph proposing that if the Defence Department were to select Lithgow as a site for small arms manufacture he would lease five acres of land to the commonwealth for 999 years.
He would supply coal at five shillings per tonne, prepare his ironworks for the production of suitable steel for rifle manufacture and provide at his expense all rail sidings necessary to service such a factory.
Sandford more than anyone else sold Lithgow as the site for the Small Arms Factory — and his foresight became a reality in 1912.
After the factory opened with 240 employees, there was a steady stream of recruitment.
"On June 8, 1912, the factory was formally opened by the Governor General, Baron Denman, and his Excellency was presented with the first completed bayonet made in Australia, mounted and an inscribed casket, a a memento of the occasion. Thirty seven guest were invited and included Primo Minister, Andrew Fisher, President of the Senate, Senator Turley and the speaker, Hon Chas McDonald. Lord Denman pulled the appointed switch but nothing happened. The manager quickly realise that the sudden load was too much for the engines. The power was switched off and quick arrangements were made whereby it was only available for the moment in the section where the crowd was standing. This was followed for each section so it look like the whole factory plant was working. So with a flick of a switch and a trick of the eye the official opening went ahead and hailed a success".
- JOHN KLUNDER JENSEN was first accountant at the brand new Lithgow Small Arms Factory. He put pen to paper after he retired and could not resist the mention of the official opening when things didn't go to plan
A number of sample rifles had been completed by December 1912 but total production by June 1913 was only 40 — no where near enough to protect the country.
It was not until October 1913 that the rate of production rose to 400 per month.
By December a total of 1500 rifles had been completed and by June 1914, 4,800 had been made and of these 3,940 were accepted by the army.
The Small Arms Factory was the first place in Australia to use the principle of repetitive manufacture.
During the establishment of the Small Arms Factory there had been growing international unrest amongst nations.
Australians considered themselves to be fairly insular, but there were strong British ties.
As a part of the Empire on which the sun never set, any disturbance involving the Mother Country was bound to effect the Children.
By the time Germany declared war on France on August 3, 1914 the Small Arms Factory was delivering bayonets, rifles and charger clips.
