It was not only postal work that women were involved in during World War 2, increasing numbers of women were found in factories and steel mills.
Women working in industry took on the huge role of mechanical work such as material production (making weapons).
“In 1943 the number of women employed in such work jumped from 1000 to 145000.”
(Darlington & Hospodaryk, 1999, pg 104)
These women worked hard at their job but didn’t get any where near as much money as men did.
As one woman put it:
“It was hard work and boring too. We worked for long hours and it was dirty and very, very noisy. We were always tired.”
(Coup, 1998,pg 109)
While in cities women were found in factories and steel mills, the women from rural areas took on shearing, dairying, crop planting and harvesting.
From early in the war there were land armies formed to boost agricultural production.
Over 3000 women joined the Australian Women’s Land Army (AWLA). They worked full time helping farmers with whatever work needed doing. The Government arranged for them to grow food for Australian and American troops, they didn’t have the machines they needed to grow too much food and harvest it quickly. Land Army girls were frequently sent to work and live in bush camps in remote areas; they were moved after a certain period of time depending on how much they were needed. Despite the fact that Women in the Land Army were separated from their families, they felt they were better off than most.
In Esme Corcoran’s story, she states:
“We girls in the Land Army were better off than most other people as all our work clothes are provided. Also, because I was on a farm I had plenty of butter, milk, eggs and meat, so I was able to send my ration coupons down to my mother.”
(Cotter & Engwerda, 1999, pg 211)
As well as serving in the Australian Women’s Land Army (AWLA), around the same time women’s Auxiliary forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force were formed, but these services were more military based.
The contribution of women to these services was thought of as a vital role in the war effort.
Over 18000 women joined the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS); Over 16000 joined the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) and around 1400 in the Women’s Royal Australian Navy Service (WRANS). About 500 of the women who joined the Army went to New Guinea and the rest stayed In Australia.
The work women did were things like back-up work for the army, plane spotting and were trained in transport, communication and maintenance. They were also trained in combat, in case Australia was invaded.
When the women first signed up to the army, they weren’t treated very well.
“They hated us………they didn’t want a Women’s Army.”
“In training, we had no uniforms, only the long winter coats.”
“The instructors were not happy about our assignment.”
(Frieda Helen Simon, pg 1-2).
The Women’s Royal Australian Navy Service (WRANS) had similar roles to those in the AWAS.
Women worked as transport drivers, dental mechanics, telegraphists, typists, cooks, supply assistants, translation interpreters and much more.
The Navy also formed nursing services but these were much smaller organizations.
The last branch of services that was considered a vital role in World War 2 was the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF).
“These women were trained and taught jungle and ocean survival.
The terrain, climate, lack of civilisation and most of all the bestiality of the enemy, are all taken into account in the training.”
(Eshuy, et.al. 1996, pg 229 )
By doing postal work, working in factories or serving in Auxiliary forces, Australian women certainly developed a strong respect for their achievements but it was also the contribution of the 78000 women that enlisted in either the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service (AAMWS), The Australian Army Nursing Service, RAAF Nursing Service or the Voluntary Aid Detachments, that made Australia proud.
Women served in the Armed forces in World War 2 but only the nurses served in combat areas.
These women would have undertaken the most gruelling roles and would have suffered the hardships of the war along with the men that were fighting.
“Countless women served in all branches of the service, and relieved or replaced men from combat duties. They earned the respect of their fellow soldiers as they sloughed through mud, lived in tents, dived into foxholes and dugouts during horrendous air raids.”
( pg 2)
Not only were there hard working nurses, some women voluntarily undertook nursing because they thought it was a vital role they could play.
There were orgainsations formed that were especially for women who were prepared to volunteer for war related work such as: Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).
R.S Dowling writes:
“These young Australian Women have voluntarily undertaken one of the most gruelling, and certainly most horrendous tasks open to RAAF Nursing Service…They are referred to as ‘Flying Angels’, ‘Angels of Mercy’ or ‘Ministering Angels’.”
(Eshuys, et.al. 1996, pg 229)
All these roles women played in World War 2 were extremely important, because there would have been a huge lack of men fighting for Australia.
The Government denied women’s involvement in World War 1 but in World War 2 they relied heavily on their contribution.
All those nurses that provided medical care for the wounded straight away states the importance of women in war.
But it wasn’t only nurses, it was also very important to have women in communication and signalling also in factories making weapons for use in the war.
Women’s roles in the 1940’s were underestimated enormously by Australia’s society but as this essay shows each and every role that was played by the women of Australia was vital, but the most significant included, all the nurses that provided help to the wounded and the skills they learnt that saved the lives of many men of Australia.
By Lynsey Bramley!
