The British Women's Auxiliary Sevices and the Second World War

During the Second World War approximately 600,000 women were recruited into the three British women's auxiliary services: the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and the Women's Royal Naval Service. These services performed a wide range of functions in support of the army, RAF and Royal Navy, both at home and overseas, and in many cases women served alongside men.
The purpose of the project is to write a study of the three women's auxiliary services during the Second World War. The topics covered include the establishment of the wartime women's services, organization and recruitment, training and selection, work, status and discipline, the necessities of life (clothing, accommodation, food, and pay), medical matters, off-duty activities, service overseas, demobilization, and the establishment of the post-war permanent women's services.
The major output is a monograph of approximately 80,000 words for Edinburgh University Press. This volume will appear in a series entitled 'Societies at War 1939-1945' of which I am one of the general editors. There will also be one spin-off article.
The importance of the project lies in the fact that it is the first scholarly study that deals with all three women's services in comparative context.