The Women's Corps : the establishment of women's military services in Britain
My thesis is an account of the 'Women's Corps movement': the efforts to organise women's non-industrial employment, which led to the establishment of women's military services in Britain during the First World War. I survey the background to their introduction both before and during the First World War, and consider the development of pre-war women's organisations in the context of official thinking about defence. The outbreak of war prompted the formation of numerous women's voluntary organisations, and a number of women worked to extend women's role, but it was the continuing manpower crisis which, in 1916, persuaded defence ministers and others seriously to consider forming corps of women to substitute for men in the Army. The recommendations of both the Manpower Distribution Board and a military report advocating substitution of women in certain jobs, together with the desire of senior War Office staff to gain control over women's voluntary groups working for the Army, combined to secure the formation early in 1917 of the first of the three women's military corps, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. This was followed soon after by the Women's Royal Naval Service and the Women's Royal Air Force, and I review
Gould, Jennifer Margaret
Labour equality; Armed forces
The Women's Corps : the establishment of women's military services in Britain. My thesis is an account of the 'Women's Corps movement': the efforts to organise women's non-industrial employment, which led to the establishment of women's military services in Britain during the First World War. I survey the background to their introduction both before and during the First World War, and consider the development of pre-war women's organisations in the context of official thinking about defence. The outbreak of war prompted the formation of numerous women's voluntary organisations, and a number of women worked to extend women's role, but it was the continuing manpower crisis which, in 1916, persuaded defence ministers and others seriously to consider forming corps of women to substitute for men in the Army. The recommendations of both the Manpower Distribution Board and a military report advocating substitution of women in certain jobs, together with the desire of senior War Office staff to gain control over women's voluntary groups working for the Army, combined to secure the formation early in 1917 of the first of the three women's military corps, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. This was followed soon after by the Women's Royal Naval Service and the Women's Royal Air Force, and I review
women corps establishment woman military_service britain account women corps movement effort organise woman non industrial employment lead_establishment woman military_service britain first_world_war survey background introduction first_world_war consider development pre_war woman organisation context official thinking defence outbreak_war prompt formation numerous woman voluntary_organisation number woman_work extend woman role continue manpower crisis persuade defence minister others seriously consider form corps woman substitute men army recommendation manpower distribution board military report advocate substitution woman certain job together desire senior war_office staff gain control woman voluntary group work army combine secure formation first_three woman military corp women army auxiliary corps follow soon women royal naval service women royal_air_force review