Medical
It dates back to the first World War when women were involved in overseas medical duties on the frontline. From my own region Norfolk, we pay our greatest respect to the work of Edith Cavell, her journey being both a very courageous but tragic story. At points their eagerness to provide assistance and carry out their duties would lead them to become trapped and even imprisoned behind enemy lines, and in the case of Edith Cavell, she would pay the ultimate sacrifice.
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© IWM (Q 102277)
Their bravery and commitment cannot be questioned. In fact, nursing capabilities and acknowledgement of great achievements in the field date back to the Crimean war and likely before with leading figures such as Florence Nightingale who we are all familiar with.
In the First World War women carried out their medical duties and commitment to the cause even in the trenches and were often exposed to the deadly gas attacks. They were also victims of bombing in particular when field hospitals were hit leading to loss of life to both patients and staff.
It was during these times that many of the organisations such as VAD, and independent organisations such as the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry were pushing forward through diversity and difficulty which would later see their valuable and commendable work continue years later, albeit in many different forms. Although not all the organisations listed below exist in the same form today their legacy was destined to live on.
•British Red Cross
•St John Ambulance
•Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD)
•First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY)
•Woman of Pervyse
•Scottish Women’s Hospital
•Women’s Hospital Corps
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© IWM (HU 90880)
Military Roles
As to military and combat roles these were beginning to emerge in other countries as early as the First World War, an example being the Woman’s Battalion of Death which was a Russian Women’s army recruited by Maria Bochkareva a Siberian female soldier.
In this country 1917 would see the beginning of the formation of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, Women’s Royal Navy and shortly after in 1918 the Women’s Royal Air force. In fact, as early as 1917 women were taking on the role of code-breaking, known as the Hush WAACs, these ladies were members of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps working in France.
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© IWM (Q 8742)
It was the foundation that had been laid so many years before with women’s emergence into the medical field, and their proven success and determination that likely led to the eventual acceptance of more military based roles, although combat was still considered or deemed not to be accepted.
However, there was a shift of change with the onset of World War Two. There was a growing need for men to be released into the front-line war effort with the gap in workforce being filled by those left behind. The change would see the formation of the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) within which the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry formed a transport corps. This new service was the equivalent of the World War One Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. Later members of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry would be recruited and head to the front line working as agents behind enemy lines for the Special Operations Executive. Considering at the point of their establishment in 1907 they were intended to be a nursing team riding on horseback within battlefields to attend the wounded, the course of time would certainly change their role.
The Women’s Royal Naval Service and Women’s Auxiliary Air Force were also reinstated since their World War One predecessors were disbanded. So, this was quite a period of change as 1941 would then see legislation passed for female conscription into these services.
This and all the achievements of those gone before would forge a permanent change for the future allowing the opportunity for women to become very active in military service and serving their country with pride, determination and courage.
