Patriotic Activities

During the war, most women who undertook war work did so voluntarily ie they were not paid. They chose to undertake war related activities, believing that their contribution to the war effort made a real difference to Australia and the Diggers. Patriotism was a very strong motivating force for many women.

Women's work included many activities such as

encouraging enlistment
organizing and staging soldier farewells
wearing a badge to denote a particular status (sweetheart, son/s serving overseas, bereaved)
Writing notes and letters to serving soldiers
Creating gifts for serving soldiers
Encouraging the purchase of war bonds
Sewing flannel pyjamas for soldier
Collecting coins
Knitting socks, scarves, gloves, balaclavas etc

Making cakes and biscuits to send to soldiers in comfort packages
Rolling cotton bandages
Tending vegetable gardens to support cafes for soldiers and the families of injured and deceased soldiers
Entertaining soldiers with meals and snacks
Fund raising and charity drives through varied activities including fancy dress parties, card games, bridge, fortune telling, selling flowers and badges etc
Working as a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in hospitals, convalescent homes
Working as farm laborers
Supporting anxious and bereaved relatives and friends of soldiers

Watch http://aso.gov.au/titles/historical/ww1-troops-embarkation/clip3/

Much of the work undertaken by women in Australia was under the direction of voluntary organizations. Some of these organizations were very, very large, with more than 82,000 members in the Red Cross alone. These organizations required substantial organizational skills to achieve their aims. While some women's groups were smaller scale, in total, Australain women raised in excess of £14 million during the war years.

This brought some women out of the home and developed their skills in terms of networking, running meetings, co-ordination, public relations and lobbying, skills which are as useful today as they were during World War I.

Some of the key organizations included

Australian Red Cross
Australian Comfort Funds
Australian Women’s National League
Lady Mayoress' Patriotic Fund
Cheer-Up Society
Women Teachers’ Patriotic League (Victoria)

Watch the following 2 clips

Once you have read through the list of activities a patriotic woman might have undertaken in World War I, and watched the clips, choose and complete 3 of the following activities:

1. Discuss your role in a letter to a male relative on the front, including your reasons for your role (250 words)

2. Write a diary entry discussing your day's activities in support of the war effort (250 words)

3. Write a newspaper report about one or more activities undertaken by patriotic women (250 words)

4. Create the lyrics to a song about women's role/s in Australia

5. Provide a visual representation (such as a cartoon, poster, pamphlet or a sketch) showing women's role/s in Australia

Imagine you are preparing a travelling exhibition for the centenary of Gallipoli and the impact of war on the women in Australia. Choose the Australian Red Cross and at least one other organization. Prepare 2 museum captions, each of 100 words, describing the organization, its main function(s) and its importance to Australia during World War I.