Women at War 1939-1945: The Home Front

Long before the outbreak of the Second World War, official calculations showed Britain would be short of the manpower needed to fight the enemy and keep up production of weapons, food and other essentials. It was hoped that women volunteers would full the gaps and so they volunteered as workers in Civil Defence, the Women's Land Army, munitions factories and non-combatant roles in the Forces. But by 1941, the Government had to face facts: any effective response would have to involve conscri...