Fighting on the Home Front: The Legacy of Women in World War One

In 1914 the world changed forever. The author shows how women emerged from the shadows of their domestic lives when World War One broke out and a generation of men went off to fight. Now a visible force in public life, women began to take up essential roles - from transport to policing, munitions to sport, entertainment, even politics. They had finally become citizens, a recognized part of the war machine, acquiring their own rights and often an independent income. The author, a former BBC Chief News Correspondent, charts the seismic move towards equal rights with men that began a century ago and, through unique first-hand research, shows just how momentous the achievements of those pioneering women were.