Role of Individuals
The concern for the Directorate of Manpower was that munitions factories and industries relating to the war effort were at full working capacity to fulfil the increasing demand from the War. As more men were being drawn into military service, there was a shortage of workers for munitions factories.
Basically, the women worked together to complete tasks that men did while they were fighting in the war
Mary Miller was a union representative at a munitions factory in Adelaide. She said, “the women who did come in from their homes, who’d never been in industry of any sort, they were marvelous- some were very young but some were grandmas. And there was a feeling that you were contributing, you were part of the war effort, and that was important.
And personally sad as it was, most of us quite enjoyed the war – the conditions of working and so on. It was a happy war to some extent for those who were working in munitions and factories except, of course if you had the sadness of losing someone”
Women were introduced into traditionally male jobs in factories, activities ranging from munitions production to work in steel mills, production of planes to provisions and clothing for the troops.
Married and single women were encouraged by the government to seek employment in these factories, There were factories which manufactured bullets, machine gun, belts, areoplane and mechanical parts.
Edna Macdonald was a young woman working in Melbourne,
“ I decided to go to the Foots Cray ammunition factory. I worked at Myers for four years as a salesgirl, and one thing that attracted me was the money. I was receiving 26 shillings a week at Myers, working from 9 to 6, four days a week, 9 to 9 on Friday, and 9 to 1 on Saturday, and when I went to the ammunition factory my salary was 2 pounds, 1s, 6d which was marvelous.”
Women were also used in the transport industry, driving trucks and taxis, acting as porters and conductors for trains and trams. Traditional administrative role as clerical workers, typists, secretaries and teaching jobs were readily available to women.
*Shown below are some women who were doing jobs during the war and what they thought about it.
The concern for the Directorate of Manpower was that munitions factories and industries relating to the war effort were at full working capacity to fulfil the increasing demand from the War. As more men were being drawn into military service, there was a shortage of workers for munitions factories.
Basically, the women worked together to complete tasks that men did while they were fighting in the war
Mary Miller was a union representative at a munitions factory in Adelaide. She said, “the women who did come in from their homes, who’d never been in industry of any sort, they were marvelous- some were very young but some were grandmas. And there was a feeling that you were contributing, you were part of the war effort, and that was important.
And personally sad as it was, most of us quite enjoyed the war – the conditions of working and so on. It was a happy war to some extent for those who were working in munitions and factories except, of course if you had the sadness of losing someone”
Women were introduced into traditionally male jobs in factories, activities ranging from munitions production to work in steel mills, production of planes to provisions and clothing for the troops.
Married and single women were encouraged by the government to seek employment in these factories, There were factories which manufactured bullets, machine gun, belts, areoplane and mechanical parts.
Edna Macdonald was a young woman working in Melbourne,
“ I decided to go to the Foots Cray ammunition factory. I worked at Myers for four years as a salesgirl, and one thing that attracted me was the money. I was receiving 26 shillings a week at Myers, working from 9 to 6, four days a week, 9 to 9 on Friday, and 9 to 1 on Saturday, and when I went to the ammunition factory my salary was 2 pounds, 1s, 6d which was marvelous.”
Women were also used in the transport industry, driving trucks and taxis, acting as porters and conductors for trains and trams. Traditional administrative role as clerical workers, typists, secretaries and teaching jobs were readily available to women.
*Shown below are some women who were doing jobs during the war and what they thought about it.
Candace Burtrem"Hard work, coming home and doing the work I was required to do but in some way I found it interesting" 88 year old
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Helen Michini"Looking back, it was exhilarating and doing the mens job gave me experience" 89 years old
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Joy ReevesThe women were required to carry on and become like the men. It was a good experience I must say" 88 years old
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