Women at War 1939-45 (The War Archives)

In June 1939, the working population of Britain totalled 19.75 million, comprising 14.66 million men, and just over five million women. Around half a million men were employed by the armed forces, but there were negligible numbers of women. The declaration of war on Germany in September 1939 changed all this, and, the Manpower Requirements Committee estimated that, by the end of 1941, the number required in the armed forces and the defence industries would rise to eight and a half million resulting in what was described as a ‘famine of men’ available to other industries.