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The two World Wars greatly changed the lives of women in Britain. World War I brought British women into military service for the first time, albeit in non-combat services. World War II greatly expanded the role women played, making a major contribution go the war effort. 【Reynoldson and Cooper】 The British Government activated the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) just before the War, but on a voluntary basis (1938). The ATS as the women's Army auxiliary. Parliament passed the National Service Act (December 1941). The 1941 Act authorized the Government to call up unmarried women between 20 and 30 years of age to join one of the auxiliary services. These were the ATS, the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and the Women's Transport Service. At first, only young single women were called up. But eventually nearly 90 per cent of single women and 80 per cent of married women were involved in the War effort, working in factories, on the land or in the military forces. Some 640,000 British women served in the military. The most famous was Princess Elizabeth who at age 19 years volunteered for the ATS. She trained as a driver and mechanic and reached the rank of Junior Commander. Winston Churchill's youngest daughter, Mary Churchill (later Lady Soames) also serve. Many more British women were involved in the war effort. In addition to military service, women served in a variety of roles and in various organizations. The role of women in World War II was much more significant than just military service. Women enabled Britain to significantly expand industrial production The Germans used slave labor the British used women. The Germans also expanded the use of women but for the most part not in factories. The roles included: mechanics, engineers, munitions workers, air raid wardens, flew aircraft, radio operators, ambulance, bus, and fire engine drivers, and secret agents. The women's civilian organizations included: the Women's Land Army, revived from World War I. They served a vital role because so many rural laborers were called up for military service. The women were badly needed to maintain farm production. In the cities, women served in a brand new organization--the Women's Volunteer Service (WVS) organization. Here they did 'whatever was needed'. It was the WVS women that welcomed the the BEF men arriving back to Britain from the Dunkirk beaches with piping hot tea and sandwiches. It was the one of the most important functions was providing comfort to victims of the Blitz, both those in air raid shelters and those whose homes were shattered by the Blitz. We note a WVS volunteer with Queen Elizabeth after a Luftwaffe Blitz raid on London (1940). WVS was different than many women's war-time groups. It was not just composed of young women and included many married women In addition the women served in many groups that were not specifically for women. They worked in Air Raid Precautions (ARP), the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), Red Cross, and in the Special Operations Executive (SOE). It was GC&CS that operated Bletchly Park and women made up a huge part of the code breaking workforce there.
World War I brought British women into military service for the first time, albeit in non-combat services. World War II greatly expanded the role women played, making a major contribution go the war effort. 【Reynoldson and Cooper】 The British Government activated the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) just before the War, but on a voluntary basis (1938). The ATS as the women's Army auxiliary. Parliament passed the National Service Act (December 1941). The 1941 Act authorized the Government to call up unmarried women between 20 and 30 years of age to join one of the auxiliary services. These were the ATS, the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and the Women's Transport Service. At first, only young single women were called up. But eventually nearly 90 per cent of single women and 80 per cent of married women were involved in the War effort, working in factories, on the land or in the military forces. Some 640,000 British women served in the military. The most famous was Princess Elizabeth who at age 19 years volunteered for the ATS. She trained as a driver and mechanic and reached the rank of Junior Commander. Winston Churchill's youngest daughter, Mary Churchill (later Lady Soames) also served.
Many more British women were involved in the war effort. In addition to military service, women served in a variety of roles and in various organizations. The role of women in World War II was much more significant than just military service. Women enabled Britain to significantly expand industrial production. The Germans used brutal slave labor the British used women. The Germans also expanded the use of women but for the most part not in factories.
The roles included: mechanics, engineers, munitions workers, air raid wardens, flew aircraft, radio operators, ambulance, bus, and fire engine drivers, and secret agents.
The women's civilian organizations included: the Women's Land Army (WLA), revived from World War I. They served a vital role in maintaing agricultural production because so many rural laborers were called up for military service. The women were badly needed to maintain farm production and feeding Britain which was dependent on food imports was hugely important. The WLA was primarily for young women. In the cities, women served in a brand new organization--the Women's Volunteer Service (WVS) organization. Here they did 'whatever was needed'. It was the WVS women that welcomed the the BEF men arriving back to Britain from the Dunkirk beaches with piping hot tea and sandwiches. It was the one of the most important functions was providing comfort to victims of the Blitz, both those in air raid shelters and those whose homes were shattered by the Blitz. We note a WVS volunteer with Queen Elizabeth after a Luftwaffe Blitz raid on London (1940). WVS was different than many women's war-time groups. It was not just composed of young women and included many married women
In addition British women served in many groups that were not specifically for women. They worked in Air Raid Precautions (ARP), the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), Red Cross, and in the Special Operations Executive (SOE). It was GC&CS that operated Bletchly Park and women made up a huge part of the code breaking workforce there.
Reynoldson, Fiona and Alison Cooper Women's War (Stockport, United Kingdom: Hodder Children's Books).
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