A Forgotten Army : The Female Munitions Workers of South Wales, 1939-1945

"A Forgotten Army" reconstructs the experiences of Welsh women who undertook essential munitions work during World War II. The events of wartime are placed against the background of the wider Welsh social, economic and cultural context.

The Second World War brought about a remarkable expansion in female work opportunities in south Wales. Women suddenly found themselves performing unfamiliar work in unfamiliar surroundings and earning relatively handsome wages. Yet, despite the dramatic changes such work caused, surprisingly little is known about the experiences of women employed in the munitions factories of south Wales. A Forgotten Army aims to recover their lost voices and to highlight the vital role played by Welsh ''munitionettes'' in the Second World War.
Through a detailed analysis of contemporary sources and interviews with former war workers, Mari Williams reconstructs the experiences of Welsh women who found themselves undertaking essential munitions work. The events of wartime are placed against the background of the wider Welsh social, economic and cultural context, while their long-term effects upon the lives of women and their communities in south Wales are also discussed in detail.
A Forgotten Army is a major contribution to our knowledge of twentieth-century Welsh women''s history, as well as a significant reassessment of the impact of the Second World War on Welsh society.