Poster urging women to join the British war effort,

published by the Young Women's Christian Association

MMM

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 work in greatly expanded munitions factories. Thousands served in the military in support roles, e.g. as nurses, but in Russia some saw combat as well.

MMM

Women volunteered to serve in the military in special women-only corps; by the end of the war, over 80,000 had enlisted. Many served as nurses, in the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS), the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) founded in 1907, the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) or the Territorial Force Nursing Service. Other corps were created to release men from non-combatant roles in the armed forces: in 1917 the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), and in 1918 the Women's Royal Air Force. The WAAC was divided into four sections: cookery; mechanical; clerical and miscellaneous. Most stayed on the Home Front, but around 9,000 served in France.

MMM

Large numbers of women worked in the munitions industry, leaving when the industry reduced at the end of the war. They volunteered for patriotism and the money, with wages often double what they had previously made. Women working in these munitions factories were called "Munitionettes", or were nicknamed "Canaries", because of the yellow skin which came from working with toxic chemicals.

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Women working in munitions factories were mainly from working class families, between the ages of 18 and 29 years. They were involved in the making of shells, explosives, aircraft and other materials that supplied the war at the front, with some women working long hours. This was dangerous and repetitive work, generating toxic fumes and involving handling dangerous machinery and explosives. The factories all over Britain were often unheated and deafeningly noisy. Some of the common diseases and illness which occurred were drowsiness, headaches, eczema, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, vomiting, anaemia, palpitation, bile stained urine, constipation, rapid weak pulse, pains in the limbs and jaundice and mercury poisoning.

MMM

While the female role in the social sphere was expanded as they joined previously male dominated occupations, once the war was over women went back to their role in the home, with their jobs going to returning soldiers. Female labour statistics decreased to pre-war levels and it was not until 1939 that the expansion of the role of women once again occurred.