Impact of the war on women

What happened to women's employment during WWI?

Women took on many traditionally male jobs as men went to fight.

What was the Women's Land Army?

An organisation in which women worked in agriculture, including ploughing, and were known as “land girls.”

What jobs did women perform in transport during WWI?

They drove and maintained ambulances and worked as London bus conductresses collecting fares.

What technical jobs did women take on during WWI?

They worked as airplane mechanics and in other industrial roles.

What roles did women perform in auxiliary military units?

They provided support services such as working as telephone operators.

How many women worked in British government departments during WWI?

Around 200,000.

How many women worked in private clerical positions in Britain?

Around 500,000.

How many women worked in British agriculture during WWI?

Around 250,000.

How many women worked in Britain's munitions industry?

Around 700,000.

How many women were working in Britain by January 1918?

Around 5 million

What were women working in munitions factories called?

Munitionettes.

What percentage of the weapons and shells used by the British Army did munitionettes produce?

80%

Why was working in munitions factories dangerous?

Women worked with poisonous substances and often lacked adequate protective clothing and safety measures.

Why were some munitionettes called “canaries”?

Their skin could develop a yellow tint from working with sulphur.

How were women in munitions factories treated compared with male workers?

They were often viewed as cheap and easily replaceable labour and received roughly half men's wages for the same work

How common was it for women to participate in combat during WWI?

It was very rare as most women worked on the home front, although some went close to the front lines.

Why did many people oppose women serving in combat?

Traditional attitudes suggested that women should not fight or carry weapons.

Why did some feminists oppose women fighting?

They argued that women's role was to support the war effort rather than bear arms, and that fighting might weaken their argument for women's political rights.

Who was Dorothy Lawrence?

A British journalist who disguised herself as a man to join the B.E.F. Tunnelling Company in 1915.

What alias did Dorothy Lawrence use?

Denis Smith

How long did Dorothy Lawrence remain with the British tunnelling company before revealing herself?

About 10 days.

Who was Flora Sandes?

An Englishwoman who initially worked as an ambulance driver before enlisting in the Serbian Army and eventually reaching the rank of sergeant major by 1916.

How many British women served in the armed forces during WWI?

Around 80,000.

What were British women in the armed forces generally prevented from doing?

They were largely refused training with weapons.

How many women served in the US military during WWI?

Over 30,000, mainly in nursing, the Army Signal Corps, or as naval and marine yeomen.

What was significant about American military nurses during WWI?

They were the first regular US Army and Navy military nurses to serve overseas, although they did not receive military rank.

Where could women be found near the front lines?

Particularly as nurses and ambulance drivers, with some being killed by enemy fire.

How were women used in WWI propaganda?

They were portrayed as victims who needed protection and were also used to pressure men into enlisting.

What was the purpose of Britain's white feather campaigns?

Women gave white feathers to men not wearing military uniforms to shame them as cowards and pressure them to enlist.

How did WWI affect women's voting rights?

The war helped accelerate women's suffrage

When did women in Britain get the vote?

Britain gave the vote to women over 30 in 1918

When did women in Russia, Germany and Poland get the vote?

Germany, Russia and Poland also introduced women's suffrage in 1918

When did women in France get the vote?

France did not give women the vote until 1944.