Women's Role in WWII

Men off to war

What does this mean for women?

- increased role

- needed in workforce

- "manly" job positions are filled with women

- more social acceptance towards women

- allowed to join military

- took combat roles for first time in hitory

Nursing

Women were actually sent overseas into Europe to serve as nurses.  Canada sent a group of women called the Nursing Sisters of Canada

The Sisters

• been around since the beginning of Canada's history
• first took action in 1885 in the North-West Rebellion
• took part in every military event that the Canadians been in even to today
• used in non-war times too, like in  the Yukon Gold Rush
• thousands of volunteers

Uniform and Training

• Wore a blue dress with a white veil
• nicknamed "bluebirds"
• were recognized as commissioned officers (first Allied country do give nurses such a title.)
• were referred to as Sister or Ma'am
• trained in military law, map reading, gas warfare procedures, large scale military maneuvers, 

WWII

As soon war broke in Poland the sisters were sent immediately.  Roughly 4500 nurses were sent alongside Canadian soldiers.  Arrived in England to work in hospitals in Taplow, Bramshot, and Basingstoke.  Work load high and in a 20hr periods they saw over 600 causalities and 98 operations.  After three years they were sent into mainland Europe.  Saw work in Italy, France, Algeria, Belgium, Hong Kong, and throughout the Atlantic.  

Dangers

• Sept. 2, 1943, Sicily air craft raid led to 12 sister wounded
• S.S Santa Elena carrying No. 14 General Hospital attacked
• Multiple Canadian Navy hospital ships attacked killing Agnes Wilkie 
• Two nurses accompanying Canadian Forces in Hong Kong were kept as prisoners of war after Japanese capture  for two years

Post War

• Cared for freed prisoners war
• Still used today
• Now known as Nursing officers
• Used throughout Cold War in Europe
• serve in military clinics and civilian hospitals
• Saw action in Rwanda, the Gulf War, Bosnia-Hervegovina,  Somalia, and Afghanistan 

Significance

• showed that women are willing to go an be deployed at war and are vital to our success
• saved many lives
• increased role of women
• without them victory may not have been possible