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Women in World War I were mobilized in unprecedented numbers on all sides. The vast majority of these women were drafted into the civilian work force to replace conscripted men or to work in greatly expanded munitions factories. Thousands served in the military in support roles, and in some countries many saw combat as well.
- Women were already working. © IWM (Art.IWM ART 2271) Women in paid employment were not a new phenomenon in 1914. They made up a substantial part of the industrial workforce even before the First World War, although they were mainly concentrated in textile manufacture.
- Women on the beat. wo members of the Women's Police Service comparing notes with a male police constable at Euston Station, London, 1918. © IWM (Q 31088)
- All aboard the transport industry. © The rights holder (Art.IWM ART 2316) One of the areas of employment where new opportunities opened up for women was in transport.
- The need for childcare increased. A fresh air school for workers children in the munitions township of Gretna Green. © IWM (Q 30567) For women with children who wanted – or needed – to take on paid work, childcare could be a problem.
World War 1: Women in The Great War. IWM uncover some incredible true stories of the women who served and worked during World War 1 Pressure from women for their own uniformed service to assist the war effort began in August 1914.
The war created lots of new jobs. Many women were brought in to build weapons. They worked with explosives which made some workers ill or their skin turn yellow. Image source, © IWM Q 108408....
In July 1914, 3.3 million women worked in paid employment in Britain. By July 1917, 4.7 million did. British women served in uniform as well in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. In fact, the last known surviving veteran of World War I was Florence Green of the RAF, who died in 2012.
We hold the service records of over 5,000 women who served in the Wrens between 1917 and 1919. This is the record for Josephine Carr, from Cork. On 10 October 1918, 19-year-old Josephine became...
In 1914 war was very much a man’s world and it was unthinkable for women to fight alongside men, yet by end of the war over 200,000 women were in uniform officially serving for their countries.
