The Vickers shipyards and docks at Barrow built warships as fast as they
could to feed through to the Navy as replacements for vessels sunk.
Meanwhile the docks at Workington, Maryport and Millom were used to
transport locally mined iron, limestone and coal. The geography of the
county also made it suitable for munitions factories and the training of
men and women for all three services. Civilians too played a vital part
especially in the defense of the area when invasion by the enemy via
Southern Ireland was thought a possibility. The Home Guard, Royal
Observer Corps, ARPs, Firefighters, Salvation Army, Land Army, Timber
Corps and Secret Special Units all contributed their bit.