Women of the Home Front

Born out of necessity after the nation's men were transported to Europe and further afield to fight, the Women's Land Army (WLA), Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS or Wrens) filled vital roles on the Home Front between 1939 and 1945. From taking care of farmland and animal husbandry to testing weapons with live ammunition and transporting aircraft across the country, these women did their parts for King and Country, stepping up when they were needed the most. The part they played in the war effort was to set a precedent for women taking a role in the military, with the WAAF and WRNS surviving in various guises until absorbed into the main armed forces in the 1990s. Here the lives of the women of these services are displayed through more than 100 incredible contemporary photographs from Mirrorpix's formidable archive. 120 b/w images