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A Broader Perspective

fought bravely and were never defeated. Whilst the “Schutztruppe” were never part of the German army or navy, they were
subject to German military law and discipline and played a key role for the Axis powers.
The Role of Women in World War 1
Whilst by no means a “minority” women in Britain played a large part in World War 1, mainly by volunteering or serving in
various non-combatant roles, but by the end of the war 80,000 had enlisted. Most of them served as Nurses in various
organisations; Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY), Voluntary Aid
Detachment (VAD) and, from 1917, in the Army, when Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was founded. Whilst most
of the WAAC stayed in the UK some 9,000 of them served in France, usually in rearward units as secretaries, telephonists etc
thereby releasing their male counterparts to move into the operational front.
Back in Britain women readily moved into previously male dominated industries, again to release men to enlist and join in the
front-line activities. So it was that women volunteered as Nurses, and teachers and, perhaps more importantly, were hired
into the munitions industries. Whilst those were let go at the end of the war, they volunteered both for patriotism and the
money, but in so doing, they not only earned as much as double what they would have earned elsewhere, but also exposed
themselves to many dangers and hazards.. They were often know as “Canaries” because of their yellow skin, which came
from working with toxic chemicals such as TNT and they were mainly from lower-class families and between the ages of 18
and 29 years old. The work that these women did was long, tiring and exhausting as well as dangerous and hazardous to
their health. Many lost their lives either as a result of exposure to toxins or mishaps in the manufacturing processes for shells
and other munitions.
The strife for women’s suffrage was also affected by the First World War. The Suffragettes’ cause was divided by factions
that were in favour of armed hostilities and those that were not. However, the role of women in the war (“These women are
doing their bit”) advanced the concept of equality and universal suffrage, and votes were granted to women over the age of
30 under the Representation of the People Act of 1918. However, the social attitude to women soon relapsed after the war
and women went back to their duty in the home as they lost their jobs to returning soldiers. Even today, there is still a view
that women should be barred from certain occupations , although things have come a long way from World War 1.
Away from Britain, women often played their part in the war effort.
In Australia they focused mainly on the provision of nursing services, but they also made ANZAC biscuits which were shipped
to soldiers. They were made to a recipe that would allow them to remain edible for a long time without refrigeration.
In Canada there was virtually no female presence in the armed
forces with the exception of some 3,100 nurses serving both
overseas and on the home front and 46 of these gave their lives in
the line of duty. Canadian nurses were particularly well known for
their kindness and attention to their patients. Although a number
of these women received decorations for their efforts, many high
ranking military personnel remained of the opinion that they were
unfit for the job. However, the large number of men that signed up
for military service left a gap in employment, which women strove
to fill. According to the Canadian Department of Public Works there
were several areas in which it was thought appropriate for women
to work. These included on fruit or vegetable farms; in the camps
to cook for workers; on mixed and dairy farms; in farmhouses to
help feed those who were raising the crops; in cannaries, to
preserve fruit and vegetables and to take charge of milk routes.
The contemporary photograph on the right shows several Ontario
flax girls on their lunch break. In addition many women were
involved in charitable organisations such as the Ottawa Women’s
Canadian Club, which helped provide the needs of soldiers, families of soldiers and the victims of war.
During the course of the war, some 21,500 US Army nurses and 1,500 US Navy nurses served in military hospitals both in the
US and overseas, being paid the same rate as men and being treated as veterans after the war—probably the first example
of equal pay and status for women. However, these women were quickly demobilised as soon as hostilities ceased - so the
“equality” was not quite “equal”. The US Army also recruited and trained 233 female bilingual telephone operators to work
at switchboards near the French front and sent 50 skilled stenographers to France to work with the Quartermaster Corps.
The US marine Corps also enlisted 305 female Marine Reservists (F) to “free men to fight” by filling such positions as clerks
and telephone operators on the home front. More than 400 US military nurses died in service, but mostly from the Spanish
Flu epidemic.
The Russian Provisional Government was the only country at war that in 1917 deployed female combat troops in any
substantial numbers. Its few “Women’s Battalions” fought well, but failed to provide the anticipated propaganda value
expected of them, and they were disbanded before the end of the war.
Whilst the First World War did much to start the integration of women into the armed forces it was only recently that the UK
Forces allowed women to serve completely on the same terms as men - more evolution than revolution.

Page 24 | The Journal of the Worshipful Company of Constructors | Autumn 2018