The Woman's Part: A Record of Munitions Work

In the midst of the Great War, Britain’s factories were transformed virtually overnight, and women stepped into roles that had previously been reserved for men. The narrative follows their rapid recruitment, the establishment of training programs, and the determination that turned ordinary workshops into engines of national defense. It captures the mix of urgency and pride that powered the shift from peacetime production to the relentless pace of munitions output.

Listeners will travel through vivid descriptions of tasks such as operating drawing presses for cartridge cases, shaping artillery shells, and assembling delicate optical instruments. The account also delves into the practical side of industrial life—health and safety measures, the creation of canteens, rest‑rooms, and nurseries, and the community that grew around the factories. By portraying both the technical details and the human experience, the work reveals how an entire generation of women helped sustain a nation at war.