THE women who stayed behind while their menfolk went off to fight still do not have their deserved place in the annals of the history of the First World War, Larry Bohana told Salisbury branch of the society.

Mr Bohana set out the role of women on the Home Front, against their pre-war background of the suffragist movement, and jobs in domestic service, factories and fisheries with appalling pay and conditions.

The war opened up a need for women to undertake work previously undertaken by men, particularly when conscription was introduced in 1916.

London Transport, the Post Office and many industries could not have continued without them.

They kept the country on its feet by contributing to the war effort, gained access to trades unions, and, by the end of the war, many were earning more pay than soldiers.

But, said Mr Bohana, women were poorly treated over widows’ pensions, had no support looking after husbands and sons who had been injured, and failed to get the full voting rights they had sought.

Victorian happenings, discoveries and inventions will be the subject of a talk by Rita Burstow at the branch’s next meeting at Wilton Community Centre on February 18 at 7.30pm.