Women At War

Aims: Identify the different jobs carried out by women during the First World War. Examine how the position of women changed by 1918.

Women At War Many working class women worked outside the home before 1914 mainly in factories or domestic service. However the war affected women of all classes and provided new opportunities. With so many men away fighting women increasingly took over their jobs.

Women in the Workplace Women found work as: Secretaries Shop assistants Bus conductresses Taxi drivers Policewomen Undertakers Railway porters

Women and the Armed Forces Women were also allowed to join the armed forces and took over the clerical work previously done by men. Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF)

Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) In 1909 the Red Cross formed Voluntary Aid Detachments to provide medical assistance in a time of war. At first the government was unwilling to accept VADs on the front-line. But in 1915 women aged 23 and over with more than three months experience were allowed on the Western Front. During the war 38,000 VADs worked as assistant nurses, ambulance drivers and cooks.

The Munitions Industry Nearly 900,000 women worked in the munitions industry. They worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Sometimes explosions occurred. Some suffered from TNT or lead poisoning – this caused their hair to fall out and their skin to turn yellow. The pay and overtime rates were good. Nurseries for children were sometimes provided. Work canteens provided nutritious food for workers.

The Land Army With so many men away fighting in the army, there was a shortage of farm workers. Women were encouraged to join the Land Army and fill the gap. 16,000 women helped to keep the country fed. However the hours were long and the work was hard.

Did the War Change the Position of Women? Good wages gave women more money to spend. With fewer men around, chaperones for wealthier girls became less common. Many women went out unsupervised. Shorter hair and trousers were more acceptable. At the end of the war many women lost their jobs as the men returned from the trenches. In 1918 women over 30 were given the vote. This mainly benefitted middle and upper class women. Those who had worked in the dangerous munitions factories were denied the right to vote.