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Great Explosion: 100 years on

Saturday marks a century since the worst disaster in the British explosives industry, when more than 100 men were killed.

On April 2, 1916, at a factory in Uplees just outside of Faversham, 15 tonnes of TNT and 150 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded and killed 116 men, who were buried in a mass grave at Faversham Cemetery in Love Lane.

It is there at 1pm where many will gather to pay their respects on Saturday.

The mass grave for those killed.
The mass grave for those killed.

A film which was made about the explosion will be shown at Oare Village Hall from 7.30pm.

An exhibition currently in St Mary's Church displays the extensive research which was collated for the making of the film.

The woman behind the exhibition Mary Kemp will present rare maps from the National Archives and nearly 200 photographs, alongside newspaper articles and a full list of the men and women who were working at the Mount hospital, where the injured of the explosion were treated.

The memorial to the men who were killed in the Great Explosion.
The memorial to the men who were killed in the Great Explosion.

Her investigations include a range of subjects from Faversham at the start of the war, the explosion itself, the nurses and doctors and families of people killed, the emergency services and individual stories.

All are welcome to the service tomorrow which is due to begin at 1pm.

The funeral procession for those killed in the explosion.
The funeral procession for those killed in the explosion.
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