Munitions Supply Board
MSB
1921 – 11 June 1940
Board in the defence administration that controlled the Commonwealth's munitions factories and laboratories between the wars, directing local production of small arms, ammunition, explosives, ordnance, clothing and harness.
How it came into existence
Established in 1921 within the Department of Defence, under the post-war policy of munitions self-sufficiency, to bring the government defence factories under unified control, among them the Small Arms Factory at Lithgow, the cordite factory at Maribyrnong and the clothing and harness factories.
- Control of government defence factories
Legislation: Australian Military Regulations (Amendment); Munitions Supply Regulations 1922
Changes during its life
- 26 April 1939Moved to the new Department of Supply and Development.
- Munitions testing and research
How it ended
Superseded on 11 June 1940, when the Department of Munitions was created under a Director-General of Munitions, Essington Lewis, to take over munitions production from the Department of Supply and Development.
- Control of the government munitions factories
- Munitions Supply Laboratories
Main functions
- Control of government munitions factories
- Production planning for small arms, ammunition and explosives
- Munitions research and inspection through its laboratories
- Developing private industry as a source of munitions
Where it sits
Last in the portfolio of Department of Supply and Development.
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
Government records and websites
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.