Women at War: Britain's Secret Army

A Nation Mobilised

The Second World War transformed the role of women in British society. For the first time, women were conscripted — from December 1941, all unmarried women aged 20-30 could be called up for war service. By 1943, over 7 million women were working in war-related jobs.

The Services

Women served in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), and numerous other organisations. They plotted convoy positions, operated anti-aircraft equipment, delivered aircraft, decoded enemy signals, and performed hundreds of essential roles.

Special Operations

Some women undertook extraordinary risks. The Special Operations Executive (SOE) sent 39 women agents into occupied France, of whom 13 did not return. These women served as wireless operators, couriers, and organisers of resistance networks, facing torture and execution if captured.

Legacy

The Immortal Regiment UK registry includes many stories of women's wartime service, from ATA pilots and WRNS plotters to SOE agents and factory workers.