We should also remember the women left to work in the factories back home, my maternal grandmother worked in a munitions factory during WW2 and often hinted, but never spoke openly about “accidents” that happened there which they were told not to speak of under the official secrets act, a vow which she upheld to her grave.

I do know that in York Minster there was unveiled a few years ago, a plaque to 20 or so (can’t remember the exact number) women who died in one explosion at the Leeds Barnbow Munitions Factory, a fact which had been supressed for nearly forty years after the event …

We are the Dead, Short days ago
We lived,felt dawn,saw sunset glow,
Loved,and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lt. Colonel John McCrae M.D.
Medical Officer; 1st. Field Artillary Brigade
Professor of Medicine
McGill University
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I always felt the role of women during and after WW1 was so taken for granted.

Nowadays we take so much for granted and expect it NOW!

I never met any of my grandparents as they all died young but our family had a ’substitute’ granny who joined us for family events. We all adored Aunt Eve, as she was known. She was a very tall, elegant and dignified lady who lived alone. I only found out in later years that she was not actually related to the family. She was engaged to be married to my maternal grandfather’s brother who went off to war (WW1) and sadly never returned. She was devastated by this and never tried to start another relationship. My mother’s family took her under their wing and thankfully there she remained until her death.

Aunt Eve had a lovely habit of counting (out loud) each item of food on her plate before she would begin to eat her Christmas dinner. We’ve carried on this tradition in my family on Christmas Day ever since!