Long before the outbreak of World War II, official calculations showed Britain would be short of the manpower needed to fight the enemy and keep up production of weapons, food, and other essentials. It was hoped that women volunteers would fill the gaps and so they volunteered as workers in Civil Defence, the Women's Land Army, munitions factories, and non-combatant roles in the Forces. But by 1941, the government had to face facts: any effective response would have to involve conscription of British women. All females between the ages of14 and64 were registered, and soon the vast majority...