Michael Murphy: British Women in Wartime

Mr Murphy recounted how Boadicea (Boudica) had killed with her daughters and Iceni tribes people 60000 roman soldiers on her march from Norfolk to London but upon the impending return of the Roman Legions from the North she and her daughters took poison  A bronze statue of her was errected in London in 1902.

Of necessity (time)references were few he talked about the Sugeon James Barry who it turned out after 20 years service in the army was in fact a female other ladies of note in the British Army included Hannah Snell Florence Nightingale and the nurses who went to Scutari and their remarkeable achievments in reducing the death rate particulary Mary Seccold whose portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery.  Lady Doctors began to graduate in the 1890’s.  He talked about Sufragettes and Suffragists.

At the begining of the 1914-1918 war there were 1,500,000 women in work at the end of the war there were 4,500,000. They worked in munitions factories as lamplighters on transport and the Land Army formed in 1915. By the end of the war women were serving in the army and the Royal Flying Corps provided they had parental permission and were over 21.

Women’s involvement in world War 2 was of a much greater significance from flying planes and managing battle plans both RAF and for the Army. Again the Land Army was to the fore. Not surprisingly perhaps there were many questions related to members own recollections of 1939 -45. Mr Bill Harrison on behalf of members gave an interesting vote of thanks to Mr Murphy