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.