In June 1944, Welsh nurse Iris Bower was among the first British women to arrive in Normandy after the D-Day landings, overcoming male opposition.
Alongside her fellow nurses, she treated over 1,000 wounded soldiers in difficult conditions, playing a critical role in Operation Overlord. Women like Iris, from various backgrounds, were essential to the war effort, performing tasks such as nursing, code-breaking, and radar operation.
Ruth Bourne worked with the Bletchley Park team to decipher German Enigma codes, while Ena Collymore-Woodstock from Jamaica became a radar operator in Britain’s Anti-Aircraft Command.
Despite gender biases and societal pressures, many women joined the war effort in Europe, proving indispensable. Their contributions are only now receiving long-overdue recognition for their impact on World War II.
Vocabulary:
• Hostility: Unfriendly or aggressive behavior.
• Provisions: Supplies, especially food and other necessities.
• Undeterred: Not discouraged from doing something despite difficulties.
• Manned: To be operated by people.
• Outstation: A station or facility located far from the main headquarters.
Source: BBC Ideas