Women 100: Women and the Army

Join us to celebrate women's contributions to the Army over the past 100 years with a day of object handling, poetry and music.
Women's Army Auxiliary Corps drilling, c1917
Join us to celebrate women's contributions to the Army over the past 100 years with a day of object handling, poetry and music.

Programme

10.30am - 1.15pm

Object-handling workshop

Get hands-on and discover more about women's experiences in the Army, particularly during the First World War. Our object-handling sessions will include uniforms, medals, and memorial plaques.

1.15pm - 1.55pm and 2.35pm - 3pm

Music ensemble

The Wind Quintet of the Irish Guards, an all-female military band, will be playing an assortment of modern and traditional tunes.

1.55pm - 2.35pm

Poetry performance

Listen to extracts of well-known poetry and participate in an open-mic session on women's experiences in the military and the First World War. This spoken-word session is led by our poets-in-residence, Lieutenant Colonel Jo Young and Isabel Palmer.

Explore further

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Stepping into line

As the entire nation mobilised for the First World War, women took up new challenges. Many of these opportunities had previously been off limits, including military service.

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A timeline of women in the Army

Since 2018, all British Army combat roles have been open to female soldiers. However, the history of women's service in the Army stretches much further back in time.

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Breaking boundaries

During the Second World War, the women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service took on increasingly diverse roles. But, like their First World War predecessors, they were still prevented from fighting.

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Equality and the Army

The modern British Army declares itself an equal opportunities employer. But becoming so has presented challenges for an institution deeply rooted in hierarchy, routine, regiment and tradition.

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Fit to fight: Women in the Army today

Women were finally allowed to undertake combat roles in 2016. But female soldiers had been serving in war zones around the world before that.

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Women’s Royal Army Corps

Formed in 1949, this corps was the women’s branch of the British Army. Its members undertook a variety of important roles until 1992, when its remaining personnel were integrated into the Adjutant General's Corps.