Contribution of Women

Question 1

Contributions of women on the home front

Answer 1

• volunteer work = main way women contributed to war effort e.g. red cross = sent food parcels to aus POWS / ACF =australian comforts fund est 1916 where motto = ‘keep the fit man fit’ by sending comfort boxes w/ sugar, biscuits, cigs, handkerchiefs, writing materials, messages of support / helped prevent trench by sending dry socks to men in trenches -> 10,000 hand knitted pairs of socks sent every few weeks
  -paid workforce = 24% in 1914 to 37% in 1918 h/w women =restricted to ‘female’ areas e.g teaching + nursing / women = ‘reserve’ labour force -> considered short term positions until men came back/ some women took temp jobs in ‘male’ positions but v few
• female rate of pay = 54% bc of 1907 harvester case/ unions feared lower wages for mens works -> less men employed

Question 2

Anzac nurses

Answer 2

-aus army nursing service = only opportunity 4 aus women to serve o/seas during war -> 3,000 civilian nurses volunteered during ww1 bc opportunity 4 independece + travel
-25 died during service w/ nurses stationed in hospitals, hospital ships, trains or casualty clearing stations close to the front line in all theaters of war
-simple tents w/ dirt floors, overcrowding, lack of sanitation + `medical supplies, long hours w/ half the mans wage, had to quit if married
- X receive same veteran benefits after war as reg soldiers