Women in uniform, first in the women’s legion and later in the women’s army Auxiliary corps (formed in 1917). Had made a significant contribution to Britain’s Military performance during World War 1.
As the possibility of war with Germany became more certain in the late 1930’s consideration was once again given to the employment of women in the army. The formation of the Auxiliary Territorial Service received Royal Assent on the 9th September 1938, and it was planned to raise 20,000 women volunteers between the ages of 18 and 50.
Who would be attached in companies to Territorial Army units, although they wore uniform, the women of the ATS were not subject to military law and they were employed as orderlies, cooks, drivers, and clerks with the official status of camp followers. On general mobilisation the recruitment limit of 20,000 was raised to 40,000 but the only additional tasks entrusted to the ATS were those of signals duties, and all officers and other ranks remained civilians.
In spring 1940, a number of ATS telephonists and drives arrived in France for service with the B.E.F.’s lines of communication. After Dunkirk the acute manpower shortage brought home to the army the importance of the role women could play.
The establishment of the ATS was raised to 200,000 and in April 1941 its members were given full military status although only a modified form of the army act was applied to women. The area of employment in which women could be used within the army was expanded to over one hundred occupations, including many more skilled trades such as service at searchlight, radar, and artillery stations.
The ATS was not, however integrated into the army and it developed its own organisation and administrative system based on platoons, companies and groups.
Platoons contained from 23 to 75 women, two tofive platoons made up a company and groups were formed of varying numbers of companies with the proviso that each group must have a minimum strength of 250 women. Groups were usually formed geographically to conform as far as possible to the boundaries of the military area in which they operated .
By the end of December 1941 the overall strength of the service stood at 24668 officers and 81,965 other ranks.
