Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in WW1 | Illustrated London News
from the archives of The Illustrated London News
Main menu
Home
Newspapers
The Illustrated War News
The Illustrated London News
The Sphere
The Tatler
The Bystander
The Sketch
The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News
The Graphic
Buy the Magazine
Explore
Highlights
Map
Topics
War Artists
Learning
Timeline
Timeline
1914
Franz Ferdinand assassinated
Europe declares war
Recruitment begins
Battle of Mons
Battle of the Marne
Battle of the Aisne
East Coast bombed
1915
Edith Cavell executed
Poison gas introduced
Gallipoli Campaign begins
RMS Lusitania sunk
Munitions Ministry created
1916
Verdun Offensive begins
Battle of Jutland
Somme Offensive begins
1917
USA enters the war
W.A.A.C. established
The Battle of Passchendaele
1918
Rationing introduced
Russian Armistice signed
Operation Michael begins
Hundred Days Offensive
Spanish Flu peaks
Armistice signed
1919
Peace Treaty signed at Versailles
Cenotaph unveiled
About
The ILN at War
Highlights
map
Search
advanced search
Publication
The Illustrated War News
The Illustrated London News
The Sphere
The Tatler
The Bystander
The Sketch
Sporting & Dramatic News
Date
Home
W.A.A.C. established
W.A.A.C. established
Advertisement featuring the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, 1918
The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was one of several voluntary women’s organisations at the front, providing vital support to military forces in the final years of the war.
Women’s labour contribution to the war was well established in certain fields by 1916. With male munitions workers at the front, roughly one million women worked in the factories. A further 40,000 women served as nurses during the war, primarily through Voluntary Aid Detachment, receiving nominal pay in return for their services. With its more genteel associations, nursing was a particularly popular option for women from middle- and upper-class backgrounds.
The formal establishment of the WAAC in July 1917 – and the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS or “Wrens”) in December and the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) in April 1918 – marked a new phase in women’s war work. These were uniformed paramilitary organisations that worked at or near the front, performing duties such as driving, cooking and secretarial work.
The WAAC was already sending its first members to the front in March 1917.The Women’s Land Army, established in July that year, recruited women to replace the male agricultural workers who were fighting overseas.
The presence of women in military uniform in conflict zones was not without its critics, but reports in the press were generally admiring and enthusiastic. The Illustrated London News and the Great Eight publications contributed to recruitment propaganda for these organisations, depicting them as efficient, competent and dedicated members of the army effort:
Our photos give ocular proof of their capability… motor drivers and nurses running energetically to their Red Cross ambulances… women working hard in a women-carpenters’ workshop.
Advertisements placed in these publications testify to the appeal of this war work. Companies promoted their raincoats, boots and soap using images of capable, energetic femininity: “No gift is more acceptable to the outward-bound WAAC girl”. Other companies, such as Chivers, sponsored recruitment advertisements in The Illustrated London News.
In total, approximately 80,000 women served in these paramilitary organisations, with a further 20,000 in the Women’s Land Army. While considerably smaller than the number of female munitions workers, these organisations did vital work in the crucial closing years of the conflict, and provided a high-profile image of women in the war.
Click here to access the archive for more articles related to the establishment of the W.A.A.C
Browse the Timeline
Current event07/07/1917
Most popular
The Orange and Green: Irish-Canadian Rangers in … 18 views
Oases in Western Egypt from Which British … 16 views
War Prizes: Ships Taken from Germany by … 15 views
The Dead Irish Leader: At the Funeral … 14 views
“The Old Business of Trench-Warfare Has Been … 14 views
A Leader in the Great Crisis in … 14 views
The Greatest of Modern Battlefields: Achi Baba … 14 views
Visited by the Prince of Wales: The … 13 views
Dead on the Field of Honour: Officers … 12 views
Another Monarch in Exile: Ex-King Ludwig of … 12 views
Related articlesPrice’s Court Bouquet Complexion SoapWhen the W.A.A.C. girl is packing up her kit, the question of Toilet Soap is a question of some moment. What soap is it that lasts well, lathers well, and…W. A. A. C’s V. Tommies: A Game of Basket-BallThe W.A.A.C.’s in France have responded to a suggestion that, in their spare time, they should assist in the work of helping the recovery of convalescent soldiers in hospitals in…Women’s Work in War-Time: Glimpses of VersatilityAmong the many exploded theories which were generally accepted before the war are those that women are invariably deficient in physical strength, and that they lack the versatility which makes…
Find us onTwitter
History Pin
DiscoverTimeline
The ILN at War
War Artists
The Newspapers
Topics
HelpHow to Use This Site
Terms and Conditions
Privacy
CompanyAbout Us
Contact Us
Copyright and Credits
© 2016 Copyright ILN LIMITED. All rights reserved.