THE HOMEFRONTS

THE HOMEFRONT The Home front – refers to what was taking place at “home” away from the battlefields to aid the war effort i.e. the production of food, the making of ammunition and uniforms, the recruitment of soldiers and the “mobilization” of women into the jobs of men. Major features which need to be considered when dealing with the Home front for the current HSC are:

THE HOMEFRONT TOTAL WAR CONSCRIPTION WOMEN WORKING CLASS POLITICAL CHANGES GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION PROPAGANDA ATTITUDES FOOD SHORTAGE RETURNED SOLDIERS

Total War not only was an army needed for the battlefield, but armies of workers were needed for the production of munitions, food, etc. at home

Conscription In order to keep the large number of soldiers on the battlefield men had to be conscripted into the army. Conscription is defined as forcing men to fight for their country. Most European countries had conscription prior to WW1, the British believed that good soldiers were those who volunteered. As the war continued they also had to introduce conscription. Propaganda

Women they started to replace men in industry, farms, offices. their status changed in Britain both politically and socially. Leading members of the WSPU (Women’s Suffrage Political Union) played an important role in persuading young men to join the war.

Attitudes the enthusiasm for war soon subsided when it became evident, that it was not going to be a short war. This is reflected in the poems of Sassoon, Brooke.

Food Shortage Rationing : –parks farmed –British ships bombed.

Government Intervention DORA, censorship, people channeled into various employment. Ministry of Munitions. Labour restrictions. Defence of the Realm Act. KRIEGSAMT this was the Supreme War Office…controlled labour, manufacturing and transport.

What did British women do for the war? Industry Services Farming Medical Commerce Transport Munitions, drugs dyes, magnets, ballbearings Red Cross, waitresses, cooks, telephonists, telegraphists Land army Truck drivers, ambulance service, building and servicing aircrafts, cleaning railways. banking commerce Nursing, later doctors

BRITISH WOMEN IN THE WAR EFFORT WWI was to have a major impact on the lives of women in Britain and worldwide. It in many ways liberated women from the traditional Victorian way of life.

RESULTS 1. Women assumed a political role and the suffragettes achieved their aim by It increased the number of women in the workforce. There was an increase of 50% in the number of women employed in Britain from July 1914 – November 1918, bringing the female percentage of the workforce to 38% from 24%. 3. Enabled women of different social classes to “co-mingle” 4. The war sent young women from their family centered homes and into service on an unprecedented level 5. Sexual freedoms and fashion changes 6. Marked the beginning of feminist movements – equal pay

Historical Opinion Historical Opinion Susan Johnston “Society expected soldiers to do the fighting and protect civilians at home. In contrast, the events of the Great War had a profound effect on the lives of millions of ordinary citizens … “In Europe it soon became clear this war would not be just a man’s war. Its massive scale and enormity of the requirements from the industry meant that it could only continue if there were widespread participation by women”.

EVIDENCE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL SERVICE Year 1918 Women employed by government departments including transport. 210,000 Women working as clerks, typists, sales assistants and office cleaners.550,000 Women in the Women’s Land Army as farm workers. 300,000 Women in the Armed services as auxiliary workers. 100,000 Women employed in nursing and hospitals.110,000 Women employed in engineering factories, textile factories and Munitions factories1,300,000

HOW DID BRITISH WOMEN RESPOND TO WWI?  When WWI broke out British women responded by volunteering to do their part for the war effort. They soon filled the gaps left in many places on the Home Front as men went to war.  In Britain a tradition had existed which allowed women close to the action as nurses. This had started in 1854 when Florence Nightingale organized for professional nurses to help in the Crimean War.  In 1914 the nurses again went to the war fronts. They became known as “the angels of mercy” and the “Roses of No Man’s Land”. Numerous nurses did die in the course of duty during air raids and artillery bombardments.

The ORDER OF THE WHITE FEATHER The was created in 1915 by admiral Charles Fitzgerald and consisted of a group of young women. These women would hand out white feathers to any young man not in uniform. The feather was a symbol of cowardice and shame.

WHO WERE THE SUFFRAGETTES Suffragettes were a group of women in Great Britain fighting for the right to vote and equal rights with men. The leader of the movement Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst

HOW DID THE SUFFREGETTES CONTRIBUTE TO THE WAR EFFORT? When WWI broke out a leading suffragette Mrs M.Fawcett summarized the attitude of most of the members – “Ladies, your country needs you. Let us show ourselves worthy of citizenship, whether our claim is recognized or not”

SYLVIA PANKHURST Not all suffragettes supported this Sylvia Pankhurst and her followers disagreed with Emmeline. Sylvia was a feminist and a socialist, unlike her mother and sister she was anti-conscription and anti-war.

Sylvia Pankhurst, the SUFFRAGETTE, writing about women in WWI, The Home Front, 1932 “At Greenwood and Batley's armament factory in Leeds, a girl, only sixteen years of age, was injured at her machine. She had started at 6 a.m. Friday, and with intervals totaling two hours of meals on Friday, and half an hour for breakfast on Saturday, she had kept on till the accident occurred at 7.30 a.m. The women beside her worked on for 31 hours. On being prosecuted, the manager stated, by way of defence, that women subjected to this tremendous strain would earn from 1 to 2 English pounds a week. The magistrate, Horace Marshall, dismissed the case, with the observation that "the most important thing in the world today is that ammunition shall be made". The senseless folly of this overwork was revealed when, on 21st May, it was announced that 65,700 women had registered for war service, but only 1,250 of them had received employment.”

WSPU SLOGANS WSPU SLOGANS The suffragettes united under the banner of: 1. “We Demand the Right to Serve” 2.“For Men must Fight and Women must Work” 3.“Let None be Kaiser’s Cat’s Paws” These slogans were used by Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst at a massive rally in July 1915 attended by 60,000 women. They decided to help contribute to the war effort.

MUNITIONS FACTORIES Lloyd George first as Minister for Munitions and later as Prime Minister took advantage of the suffragettes slogan “We Demand the Right to Serve” he created the Department of National Service which conscripted labour and encouraged women into the workforce. Edward Skinner, For King and Country (1916)

By 1917 the role of women in the war effort had increased. In July 1917 nearly 1 million women were employed in Munitions. Work in the Munitions industry was dangerous as they worked with high explosives such as TNT in the production of shells, guns, etc. but it gave them a sense of equality

Women and elderly men contributed to the production of munitions

The girls who worked in the munitions factories were called “Munitionettes” or “Gretna Girls”, These were predominately working class women. Many new factories sprung up in Britain, the largest was in Gretna and employed around girls. Johnston explains that women in the Munitions plants were reasonably well paid, but it was “dangerous and physically unpleasant” work. The women were also referred to as “canaries” because their skin turned yellow. Accidents resulted in ladies losing arms, legs and even death.

The “Munitionettes” worked with sulphur. There was no protection from this dangerous chemical and the women who worked with it found that their exposed skin turned yellow as it was impregnated with the substance. As a result their hands and face turned yellow. The were affectionately known as “canaries”

VADS – Voluntary Aid Detachment Women volunteered to become nurses and ambulance drivers Nurses wore a uniform – it was light blue with a white apron and white cap The women came from a variety of backgrounds i.e. cooks, domestic servants etc. Their medical training was basic, but the fact that they went to the war zones meant that they could comfort badly injured soldiers and give them basic medical treatment.

WOMEN’S LAND ARMY With so many men away fighting, And merchant ships being sunk by U-boats, Britain had to become self- Sufficient in food. The Women’s Land Army played a Major role in this. The women of the Land Army were Issued with a uniform of brown Corduroy trousers, a green jersey, a hat And boots.

WAAC – Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp established in 1917 Civilian corp. on the front Men released for active service Women took over jobs such as cooking, catering, cleaning, driving and communications

WREN – Women’s Royal Naval Service – 1918 WRAF – Women’s Auxiliary Air Force – 1918 Men were released for service while women acted as cooks, waitresses, bookkeepers, telegraphists, telephonists, wireless operators, etc.

THE IMPACT OF THE WAR ON THE LIVES OF WOMEN Many women and women’s groups encouraged their men to enlist. Propaganda aimed at women

Many women suffered deeply due to the separation from their men and even more from death or injury to those men. (Personal column in the Times 1915) “Lady, fiancé killed, will gladly marry officer totally blinded or incapacitated by the War”.

Women replaced men in areas of employment to make them available for ‘front-line’ service and maintain services and production at home. Women provided increased personnel for medical services and hospitals. Women did enter the armed forces in non- combatant roles as doctors, nurses, orderlies and as part of support units as typists, cooks, cleaners, mechanics, truck drivers, and chauffeurs releasing men for active service.

uniforms Close to the action Repaired and maintained headquarters

The Russian Army even enlisted women.

CONCLUSION 1. World War I revolutionised the role of women in Great Britain. 2. In 1918 women over 30 received the right to vote. 3. Fashion for women became more practical especially if they had to work in factories. The skirts became shorter, corsets were abandoned, and new forms of underwear i.e. bras adopted. Hair styles also became shorter. 4. Females became more liberated upper and middle class women no longer had to be chaperoned or accompanied by a male companion in public places. 5. Females could mingle freely with members of the opposite sex.