Australian Women in the First World War

The records from the First World War outline the significant contributions of women in the military nursing service and at home. Their commitment and dedication, often in challenging circumstances, highlight the vital role women played during the war.

Women at home

Some opportunities arose for women to expand their roles during the war, though they were limited. Some women took on traditionally male jobs to free up men for military service but it wasn’t until after the Second World War that there were significant changes in the types of work women did.

Volunteering in Australia

Australian women on the home front played crucial roles in supporting troops overseas. Engaging in voluntary comfort and fundraising roles, women were active participants in organisations such as the Australian Women's National League, Australian Red Cross, Country Women's Association, Voluntary Aid Detachment, Australian Women's Service Corps, and the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Vera Deakin's establishment of the Red Cross Missing and Wounded Enquiry Bureau was vital in providing information on missing and wounded men to their families.

Military service and nursing

Women have always played a significant role as nurses in wartime. Service roles included nursing, while civilian volunteers could serve in medical support roles, and Voluntary Aid Detachments. Australian women, known as 'Bluebirds' due to their uniforms, served as Red Cross nurses in military hospitals in France. Canteens in Egypt were set up for Australian troops by women volunteers like Alice Chisholm and Rania MacPhillamy.

First World War records reveal the extensive contributions of women. A total of 2,139 women served in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS). Some Australian women served with other national military nursing services. Nurses in the AANS had to be single and some paid their own way to serve in foreign military forces or as volunteers. Seven AANS nurses were awarded the Military Medal for bravery under fire.

One notable Australian woman, Ethel Gillingham, a trained nurse from western Victoria, faced the harrowing experience of being a prisoner of war. Joining the British Red Cross Society, Gillingham was captured when the town of Vrnjatchka Banja, Serbia, fell to Austrian troops on 10 November, 1915. Along with her unit, she was eventually released unharmed, reaching Belgrade safely in February 1916.

Commemoration of women 

During the war, the Australian Government issued a commemorative Female Relative Badge, recognising the closest female relatives of servicemen. The badge, proudly worn by female relatives, recognised the sacrifices of mothers and wives whose loved ones were serving overseas. The 1920s and 1930s saw the development of the Anzac legend which focused predominantly on the deeds of Australian men. The contributions of women, particularly in nursing, were given less recognition.

The Australian War Memorial in Canberra houses two national memorials dedicated to female service personnel. The Hall of Memory features 15 stained glass windows, one specifically honouring service women of the First World War. Additionally, a mosaic in the Hall of Memory pays tribute to Australian service women of the Second Word War, including a sculpture of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel AO MBE ARRC ED.

The roles of Australian women at home during the First World War sometimes surpassed traditional boundaries, but most returned to the more conventional societal roles at war’s end. Their efforts, both on the home front and overseas, remain integral to the story of Australia’s wartime past.

Facts and figures

• More than 2,100 women served in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS).  These were experienced professionals who wanted to serve as military nurses. 
• Around 130 Australian women served with the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Service in the British Army, while many women contributed to hospitals within Australia
• Of all the women who served in the AANS during the war, more than 20 lost their lives due to illness or wounds sustained in the line of duty.