Women in the armed forces | Exit Quiz | Oak National Academy

Complete the sentence: Things that are to do with the home are described as ___.

Answer explanation

Things that are to do with the home are described as domestic. After doing vital jobs during WWI, once the war ended in 1918, many women had returned to domestic roles at home.

What is the correct meaning of 'conscription'?

• People volunteering to join the armed forces and help with the war

• People refusing to join the armed forces and help with the war

• People being forced to join the armed forces and help with the war

Answer explanation

Conscription means that people are forced to join the armed forces and help with the war. 8.5 million people joined the British armed forces and fought in the Second World War.

In what year did conscription start for women?

• 1940

• 1941

• 1942

• 1943

Answer explanation

Conscription started for women on 1st December 1941. By 1943, between 80-90% women were employed in essential war work. They were paid much less than the men.

Which are correct statements about the types of jobs women did in the Auxiliary Territorial Service?

• Women were able to be radar operators.

• Women were able to use weapons and fight.

• Women were only able to be cleaners and cooks.

• Women were able to be part of the military police.

Answer explanation

Women started by having jobs such as cleaning and cooking. As more men left to fight, they were allowed to take on different roles such as being radar operators and members of the military police. They were not allowed to fight or use weapons.

Match the acronyms to their correct meaning

• WAAF

• the women’s branch of the British Army during WWII

• ATS

• the women’s branch of the British Air Force during WWII

• WRNS

• the women’s branch of the British Navy during WWII

Answer explanation

The WAAF was the women’s branch of the British Air Force during WWII; the ATS was the women’s branch of the British Army during WWII and the WRNS was the women’s branch of the British Navy during WWII.

Choose the correct statement about who was allowed to join the ATS, WAAF and WRNS in the Second World War.

• Women who were married were not able to join.

• Women who lived in different countries were not able to join.

• Women from countries across the world were allowed to join.

• Women who had children were not allowed to join.

Answer explanation

Women across the world were allowed to join. Around 4,000 local women served in the Middle East with the ATS and, in 1943, Britain also advertised for Caribbean women to apply.