Was it more difficult for women to get a position in the war?
The war was mostly male dominated. The women were left behind to look after the house and the children while the men fought for their country. This meant that the women were unable to apply for many positions – even nursing – because they were needed at home. It was difficult for most married women to enlist as nurses, because there was a rule against it. However many women sidestepped that rule and got accepted. There was also a rule against any nurses under the age of 25, but a number of women under the age of 21 got through.
Women wanted a more active participation in the war and pursued jobs such as cooks, stretcher bearers, motor car drivers, interpreters, and munitions workers. However, the government was reluctant to allow this kind of participation and although women were not allowed to fight on the frontline some nurses had to drive the ambulances to the wounded and care for them. If any enlistment was unable to the women, they found a way to help the war effort by starting charities, organisations and other groups.