A FINAL reunion is being held before a collection of historic artefacts from the former Royal Naval cordite factory at Holton Heath is moved out of Purbeck.

Thousands of people worked at the Holton Heath site over the years, from the time of its launch as a cordite factory in 1916 to the day it closed as a military research laboratory in 1997.

A collection of artefacts assembled by the Royal Naval Cordite Factory Association is being moved from Holton Heath to the Explosion Museum of Naval Ordnance near Gosport.

No new home could be found in the Pubeck area following the sale of the Holton Heath site by the Ministry of Defence to a commercial property letting company last year.

Cordite produced by the massive workforce at Holton Heath kept the Royal Naval guns firing in all theatres of operation in both world wars.

The museum collection includes a scale model of the factory made by factory joiner Reg Hucklesby in 1942.

Also included is a brass bell pierced by a flying piece of wood in an accidental explosion in 1931 which killed 10 people.

The factory was constructed at the beginning of World War One on the orders of Winston Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty.

A final reunion buffet lunch is being held on Saturday, September 11, and is open to all people who have been employed at Holton Heath throughout its life, and their partners.

Tickets, which are priced £7.50 for RNCFA members and £9.50 for non-members, can be booked in advance by calling Bob Dukes on 01202 694830.

Anyone interested in joining the association can contact Bob Honeybun on 01929 462546. Membership is £10 per year (£5 for ex RNCF employees.)