A presentation on the roles women played during World War One and how they were portrayed has been one of the highlights of the Club’s year of meetings.
Complete with a range of WW1 artefacts, Alison Giles, learning officer at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford explained how women took on jobs vacated by men at the Front but also carved out recognition in munition factories, as drivers, pilots and nurses.
She showed gas masks, helmets, nurse uniforms, and an exceedingly heavy shell. But arguably the most dangerous “weapon” was barbed wire.
Alison, who is the Club’s newest member, discussed propaganda, including attempts to limit the recognition of women’s efforts and to demonise the enemy’s nurses.
Pictures show the wide range of WW1 memorabilia and Alison holds a 18 inch section of barbed wire.