In 1917 and 1918 The Women's Auxiliary Army Corps, the Women’s Royal Naval Service and the Women's Royal Air Force were all set up so that women could volunteer to become more involved in the war through the services. The plan was for these women to serve as clerks, telephonists, waitresses, cooks, and as instructors in the use of gas masks. Many women were employed in these services but it wasn’t until 1918 that the numbers of women employed in the services reached its peak – over 72,000.
Propaganda played a huge part in why the number of women employed in Britain began to rise significantly from mid-1915. The idea of a working woman being strong and heroic was promoted everywhere using posters & artwork, and these ideas and images made it more acceptable for women to go out to work and wear comfy clothes whereas before the role of a woman was to care for her family at home and always dress to impress! This propaganda effect snowballed and more and more women signed up for war work. The ‘Right to Serve’ march of 1915 was organized by the Women’s Social and Political Union and more than 30,000 women took part, demanding more involvement in the war effort. However events overtook the march and the women were needed anyway.
A significant additional factor in why the number of women employed in Britain began to rise significantly from mid-1915 was ‘The Great Shell Shortage.’ There was a belief that a shortage of munitions led directly to the failure of the British in the battle of Neuve Chappelle in the Dardanelles in March 1915. Lloyd George, a government minister, argued that the munitions industry needed to be completely reorganised in order to win the war. He was made the Minister for Munitions and encouraged women to work in the munitions industry in what was previously considered a job for men. Trade Unions objected to the idea of women working in munitions but a deal was struck with employers so that women could work in munitions but only until the war was over. Nearly a million women were employed in munitions by 1918.
But with more shells, there were more casualties and a lot of women were needed for nursing. Some even worked close to the front line in dressing stations. Nursing employed thousands of women – more nurses were needed than ever before. Nursing played a huge factor in women’s employment numbers rising from 1915.
Although all these factors are important, some employed more women than others so some factors are less significant. However, in my opinion, the most important reason why the numbers of women employed in Britain began to rise significantly from 1915 was conscription. Conscription was a compulsory government order for all men aged between 18 and 41 to go to war. This was the majority of male labour workers and opened up millions of jobs for women. Women were needed to do the jobs whilst men were at war.
If conscription had not occurred would women’s employment have risen so significantly from mid-1915?
Using the evidence above, I conclude that it would not have risen. If men had not been called to war, both men and women would have continued in their traditional roles and any changes to these roles may or may not have happened at a later stage.
