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The Role of Women in WW II

During both World War I and World War II, women were called on, by necessity, to do work and to take on roles that were outside their traditional gender expectations. More than any previous wars WWI and WWII hinged as much on industrial production as they did on battlefield clashes. With millions of men away fighting and with the inevitable horrendous casualties, there was a severe shortage of labour in a range of industries, from rural and farm work to city office work.
Women moved into the labour force to fill this need. During World War I, for example, thousands of women worked in munitions factories, offices and large hangers used to build aircraft. Of course women were also involved in knitting socks and preparing hampers for the soldiers on the front, as well as other voluntary work, but as a matter of survival women had to work for paid employment for the sake of their families. Nursing became the one and only area of female contribution that involved being at the front and experiencing the horror of war. For more information see this Wikipedia page.

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Stills
16684_sewing_room_2020.jpg	Tip Top Tailor making uniforms Gordon W. Powley Black and white negative Reference Code: C 109-2-0-18 Archives of Ontario, I0016684
4930_women_in_white_2020.jpg	Mary Pickford posing with a group of employees during her visit to the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory, June 5, 1943 Photographer unknown. General Engineering Company (Canada) Black and white print Reference Code: F 2082-1-2-10 Archives of Ontario, I0004930
2965_women_in_factory_2020.jpg	Women soldering and assembling cables for airplanes, Canadian Car and Foundry Co., 1945 Photographer unknown. Canadian Car and Foundry collection. Black and white print Reference Code: C 190-5-0-0-43 Archives of Ontario, I0002965
4899_women_and_coll_1020.jpg	Women working at the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory, [ca. 1943] Photographer unknown General Engineering Company (Canada) Black and white print Reference Code: F 2082-1-2-6 Archives of Ontario, I0004899
PA-141000lrg.jpg	A CWAC saluting. In its public relations campaign, the Army stresses the positive aspects of serving in the Women's Corps, highlighting its members' professional activities, their confidence and charm. Ottawa, October 30th, 1943. Department of National Defence / National Archives of Canada, PA-141000.
PA-142399lrg.jpg	CWACs undergoing basic military training at the Vermilion, Alberta Camp, one of the Corps' training facilities, April 6th, 1944. Department of National Defence / National Archives of Canada, PA-142399.
PA-177084lrg.jpg	Private Lowry, CWAC, tightening up the springs on the front of her vehicle, Chelsea & Cricklewood Garage , England, July 7th, 1944. Photo by Barney J. Gloster. Department of National Defence / National Archives of Canada, PA-177084.
PA-209532lrg.jpg	A member of the Army's Women's Corps repairing a parachute. Photo by Frank Royal. Department of National Defence / National Archives of Canada, PA-209532.
PA-139941lrg.jpg	Private N. McCosh sorting a pile of laundry at Camp Borden, Ontario, March 16th, 1945. Photo by Barney J. Gloster. Department of National Defence / National Archives of Canada, PA-139941.
PA-152114lrg.jpg	Sgt Margaret O. King, CWAC, editing movies at the Merton Park Studios film library, in London, December 19th, 1944. Photo by Jack H. Smith. Department of National Defence / National Archives of Canada, PA-152114.
ep101a.jpg	Marion Orr -- "Owing to the male-biased Service regulations of the time, the wishes of Canadian women pilots to fly with the RCAF during World War II were generally shot down. Nevertheless, as least one Canadian woman managed to fly military aircraft. Marion Orr paid for her own flying lessons in 1941, then went off to England where she got a position with the Air Transport Auxiliary ferry service, moving combat planes between airfields. By October 1944 she had accumulated 700 flying hours on 67 different types of planes. " Historica Minutes
ep101b.jpg	Marion Orr, first woman to run a flying school is seen here teaching another woman to fly.
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Video
women_002.mpg	Women working in factories. National Archives of Canada, ISN#33128.	17 sec
women_003.mpg	A woman working on rifles.	10 sec
women_004.mpg	Women riveting.	17 sec
women_005.mpg	Women working alongside men in the factory.	18 sec
The Mrs.mpg	Mrs. Churchill and Mrs. Roosevelt visit with men and women in the Canadian forces while their husbands attend the Quebec Conference.	33 sec

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