Abstract
By the end of the Second World War, approximately 600,000 women had served in Britain's auxiliary services, performing important tasks in mobile signals units and in anti-aircraft batteries, as plotters, typists, wireless operators and motor mechanics, among other things. The service of these women was crucial to the British war effort, and Sisters in Arms: Women in the British Armed Forces during the Second World War tells this story.
Arranged thematically and semi-chronologically, it charts the histories of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, the Women's Royal Naval Service and the Auxiliary Territorial Service; explores aspects of wartime life and work; and finishes by discussing the post-war integration of women into Britain's Armed Forces. It is well-researched, particularly in its use of private papers and testimonies, alongside newspapers, government documents, and military files. The book also features a rich list of secondary sources, which are an excellent starting point for anyone interested in gendered dynamics of the Second World War, as well as for sources on wartime sexuality, labour and social change.
While works of military history are often accused of being unnecessarily dry, readers need not worry that this is the case here. Yes, the expected detail on institutional organisation and administration makes up a significant part of the volume, but this is well interwoven with stories of the personal. These testimonies add depth and vitality, helping the reader to sympathise with the experiences of female recruits. Chapter three on ‘Training and Selection’ and seven on ‘Medical Matters’ are especially illuminative in this regard, as are the rich visual images accompanying the text. Many of these photographs originate from official collections, giving a curated image of perfect hairstyles and figures, and uniformly professional workers which, as the book suggests, may not reflect the full reality of service life. However, these sources give unique insight into the world of auxiliary workers and workplaces, as well as the tasks, dress, and physicality required for the roles.
The book's contribution to the field is twofold: firstly, it bridges the gap between social and military histories, telling the stories of civilian volunteers and conscripts as they navigated their incorporation into military hierarchies and tasks. It also explores the discussions and manoeuvrings that facilitated the creation of these bodies and their post-war integration into the regular services, bringing important insight into the resistance that dogged much of this process and showing the tenacity of those who were its champions.
Additional significance comes from the text's exploration of the multifaceted nature of women's social and gender identities during this period. This includes aspects of gender (non-) conformity amid the social norms of the time, as well as the difficulties of incorporating women into traditionally male-oriented organisations. Personal stories included in Sisters in Arms remind the reader that not all women experienced wartime military service in the same way: some wished to retain femininity through clothes, hair and makeup, for example, while others preferred to be seen as no different from male recruits. Crang also shows that differences were afforded to women, including greater pastoral care, altered entry tests or training for subjects like mathematics and science, and provision for more sleeping space and washing facilities. This illuminates the nuance and complexity of women's incorporation into the military.
A particular highlight is chapter nine, which explores the excitement, challenge, and danger of overseas service, contrasted with the return to post-service social and gender expectations. The chapter also considers race, class, and religious tensions, and includes a discussion of the difficulties experienced by colonial recruits negotiating strict social and ethnic hierarchies or racial tensions in the countries to which they were posted.
Overall, Sisters in Arms makes an important contribution, straddling both social and military genres, and providing insight into the gendered dynamics of women's wartime service. Additional value is gained through its exploration of women's integration into the British armed forces. As such, this is a useful resource for students and academics interested in military gender dynamics, social change and the home front, as well as a fascinating read for anybody interested in life and work in the women's auxiliary services. If there is any shortcoming, it is only that the insightful observations and attention to broader themes contained within the conclusion would have been a welcome enhancement to the remainder of the text.
