An item dealing with the Aleksandar Rankovic Torpedo Factory, Rijeka, Yugoslavia/Croatia [the former Whitehead plant at Fiume, Austria-Hungary] reported that the personnel working in the plant numbered around 2.000 men excluded 200 soldiers and 150 women.(1) The soldiers were used for general labour, a third of the women for clerical work, the remaining 100 worked with light machine tools. There were also around 20 German technicians employed. All work was executed in one section and consisted of converting Junker aircraft engines into engines suitable for use in small motor torpedo boats. There were two shifts a day although it was usually to work 2-3 hours over work of which just 2/3 was paid for. The monthly salary was 4.500 (unskilled)-6.000 (skilled) dinars. There was one meal a day available in the canteen costs 45 dinars. The number of apprentices was unknown, their working day consisted of 4 hours labour in the factory and 4 hours school. Every labourer had an own light green coloured identification card with a photo and signatures of the individual labourer and the UDB chief. Day and night was a guard present consisting of 30 Yugoslavian soldiers commanded by a lieutenant and who were armed with rifles or stenguns.
Note
1. Founded in the 1850’s, joined by the British engineer Robert Whitehead in 1858 and started building large machinery for the Austrian navy. In 1864 was Whitehead joined by naval captain Giovanni Biagio Luppis for building an exploding boat. On 20 December 1866 however was the first torpedo presented followed by the founding of the Torpedofabrik Whitehead&Comp. Demolished during the Second World War was the factory first named Jadran, since 1947 Aleksandar Rankovic and in 1953 renamed Engine Factory Torpedo. Around 1965/1966 ended the production of torpedoes.
Source
The report was published on www.archive.org, document number CIA-RDP83-00415R006000020001-1
Note
1. Founded in the 1850’s, joined by the British engineer Robert Whitehead in 1858 and started building large machinery for the Austrian navy. In 1864 was Whitehead joined by naval captain Giovanni Biagio Luppis for building an exploding boat. On 20 December 1866 however was the first torpedo presented followed by the founding of the Torpedofabrik Whitehead&Comp. Demolished during the Second World War was the factory first named Jadran, since 1947 Aleksandar Rankovic and in 1953 renamed Engine Factory Torpedo. Around 1965/1966 ended the production of torpedoes.
Source
The report was published on www.archive.org, document number CIA-RDP83-00415R006000020001-1
