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What did women do on the front line in World War One?
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What did women do on the front line in World War One?
Last modified: Sunday, 31 May 2026, 4:28 PM
What did women do on the front line in WW1?
What were conditions like for women?
Women were not allowed to be soldiers during World War One, but they still found many important ways to help.
Many women travelled to dangerous areas near the fighting, where they could be hurt by enemy attacks.
Some worked as mechanics, cooks, nurses, and doctors, helping soldiers and keeping things running smoothly.
They often worked very long hours and slept in simple camp beds before getting up early to work again.
The women who worked near the front line were very brave. For many of them, it was the first time they had ever travelled away from Britain to help others.
Why did the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps start?
By 1917 the Army was running short of men.
The War Office realised that some front line jobs which did not involve fighting were being done by men. They decided that women could do these jobs instead.
Volunteers joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)
They wore green or 'khaki' uniforms: a small cap, jacket and skirt. They exercised every day, taking part in Morris dancing and hockey to keep fit. The WAAC was later known as later known as Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps.
Women cooked for men in camps and hospitals
Meals included savoury rice, sea pie, duff pudding, plus food which is more familiar to us today such as stew and even curry! The food was often better quality than men had back home.
Women took administrative tasks in the war offices
They received 24 shillings for unskilled work but up to 48 shillings for jobs with specific skills like shorthand or typing. They also answered telephones and passed messages to soldiers.
Women repaired motor vehicles which had broken down
They worked with mechanics to identify problems and learnt how to fix them. They repaired trucks on the roadside and built new ones in factories.
Heroic women
Women Who Helped During World War One
Many women became famous because of the brave ways they helped during World War One.
- Flora Sandes was a British woman who joined the St John Ambulance to help injured soldiers. During the war, she became part of the Serbian Army and was the only British woman to officially serve as a soldier. She worked very hard and became a Sergeant Major.
- Gabrielle Petit was a brave woman from Belgium. She was one of the first female spies and secretly collected information about the German army to help the British.
Many other women also became heroes by caring for injured soldiers and working in hospitals and medical centres.
Marie Curie in her laboratory in 1912.Medicine and first aid
Before war broke out there were only approximately 200 female doctors.
A shortage of trained medical staff during World War One gave opportunities for women to take a wide range of crucial roles.
Women went to France as Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurses
They cared for the wounded and sick in 'rest stations', where soldiers had a few days to recover, and in convalescent homes, where they could stay until they were as well as possible.
VAD nurses wore a blue dress and a white pinafore (a type of apron)
The rules were strict: no make-up, no long nails, always look smart, always carry scissors, safety pins and a pencil! VAD nurses often washed and cleaned as well as nursing their patients.
Elsie Inglis set up 14 medical units close to battlefields
Elsie was a doctor and surgeon who helped the French and Serbian armies. She was captured and made a prisoner of war but was eventually released.
Edith Cavell was a British nurse who tried to save all soldiers
In 1915, she helped more than 200 Triple Entente soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium. She was arrested and killed by a German firing squad.
Women worked as drivers for the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
They went to France and Belgium to drive ambulances across the battlefields.
Lady Dorothie Feilding became an ambulance driver in 1914
She was sent to Flanders in Belgium where some of the worst battles were being fought. She was the first woman to be awarded the Military Medal for bravery.
How did life change for women?
At the start of the war, some women thought working near the front line would be exciting and adventurous.
However, they soon discovered that war was very difficult, dangerous, and often very sad.
During the war, many women learned new skills and took on important jobs. Some became doctors, mechanics, and workers in roles that women had not usually been allowed to do before.
Like many women back home, they enjoyed having more independence and opportunities, and they did not want to lose these when the war ended.
