"[4]Among the staff were Lieutenant-Commander N. S. Norway, RNVR (better known by his pen name, Nevil Shute); Lt-Cdr Edward Terrell RNVR, who developed plastic armour for ships and tanks and who left in late 1941 to join the First Sea Lord's staff; renowned motor racing photographer Louis Klemantaski; and Barnes Wallis, inventor of the Upkeep dam-busting bomb.

Included: DMWD was responsible for a number of devices of varying practicality and success, many of which were based on solid-fuel rocket propulsion.

As might be expected of a small, dynamic and highly experimental group, their efforts had mixed results, notable among which were the Panjandrum rocket-propelled beach defence demolition weapon and Hajile, a rocket-powered alternative to parachutes for dropping materiel.

The scheme failed due to the actions of the wind and tides, but did produce some confusion when the coal-covered waters were mistaken for tarmac in the blackout.

Hedgehog was developed after the 29mm spigot mortar anti-tank weapon designed by Lt-Col Stewart Blacker were shown to the DMWD by MD1 ("Churchill's Toyshop").