Lucy Noakes is Senior Lecturer in the School of Creative Arts, Film and Media at the University of Portsmouth. She is author of War and the British: Gender and National Identity, 1939-1991 (1998).

• Acknowledgements. Preface 1. Introduction: Gendering War 2. Early Days: Women and the Armed Forces Before 1914 3. ‘The Women Were Marvellous': The First World War and the Female Volunteer 4. ‘Eve in Khaki’: The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps 5. Between the Wars: Women’s Military Organisations 1919–1938 6. ‘The Gentle Sex’: The ATS in the Second World War 7. ‘Gentle in Manner, Resolute in Deed': Women In the Post-War Army. Conclusion. Bibliography

‘Noakes’s book offers a good introductionto the history of women in the British army and provides a useful overview for students wishing to familiarize themselves with the array of military tasks British women undertook during the first half of the twentieth century. If male resistance to women’s desire for combat roles comes as no surprise, Noakes nevertheless reminds us that an overly optimistic assessment of women’s increasing presence in the military threatens to camouflage the persistent resistance of military authorities to full equality for female soldiers.’ – Journal of Contemporary History

Lucy Noakes is Senior Lecturer in the School of Creative Arts, Film and Media at the University of Portsmouth. She is author of War and the British: Gender and National Identity, 1939-1991 (1998).

• Acknowledgements. Preface 1. Introduction: Gendering War 2. Early Days: Women and the Armed Forces Before 1914 3. ‘The Women Were Marvellous': The First World War and the Female Volunteer 4. ‘Eve in Khaki’: The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps 5. Between the Wars: Women’s Military Organisations 1919–1938 6. ‘The Gentle Sex’: The ATS in the Second World War 7. ‘Gentle in Manner, Resolute in Deed': Women In the Post-War Army. Conclusion. Bibliography

‘Noakes’s book offers a good introductionto the history of women in the British army and provides a useful overview for students wishing to familiarize themselves with the array of military tasks British women undertook during the first half of the twentieth century. If male resistance to women’s desire for combat roles comes as no surprise, Noakes nevertheless reminds us that an overly optimistic assessment of women’s increasing presence in the military threatens to camouflage the persistent resistance of military authorities to full equality for female soldiers.’ – Journal of Contemporary History

Lucy Noakes is Senior Lecturer in the School of Creative Arts, Film and Media at the University of Portsmouth. She is author of War and the British: Gender and National Identity, 1939-1991 (1998).

• Acknowledgements. Preface 1. Introduction: Gendering War 2. Early Days: Women and the Armed Forces Before 1914 3. ‘The Women Were Marvellous': The First World War and the Female Volunteer 4. ‘Eve in Khaki’: The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps 5. Between the Wars: Women’s Military Organisations 1919–1938 6. ‘The Gentle Sex’: The ATS in the Second World War 7. ‘Gentle in Manner, Resolute in Deed': Women In the Post-War Army. Conclusion. Bibliography

‘Noakes’s book offers a good introductionto the history of women in the British army and provides a useful overview for students wishing to familiarize themselves with the array of military tasks British women undertook during the first half of the twentieth century. If male resistance to women’s desire for combat roles comes as no surprise, Noakes nevertheless reminds us that an overly optimistic assessment of women’s increasing presence in the military threatens to camouflage the persistent resistance of military authorities to full equality for female soldiers.’ – Journal of Contemporary History