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‘Life of a WAAC’ is a First World War Ministry of Information
recruiting film for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in Britain. It portrays
the roles and daily life of women working in the service, showing scenes
of women serving in the Corps, and relaxing during their leisure time.
In this clip, one of the women performs an impersonation of Charlie Chaplin
for the camera. The film was intended to be shown in cinemas to encourage
women to join up. Recruitment to the Corps was intended to aid the war
effort at a time when men were badly needed for front line service: women
were encouraged to take their places in industry and the services on home
territory. Many such films made during the First World War had to encourage
women to overcome social barriers and fears about going out unchaperoned
into a sphere previously dominated by men. Many women responded to the
call for their help and the part they played in the war effort in industry
and the services did a great deal to change existing attitudes amongst
women. This was for many their first experience of work and of independence
outside the home. The Imperial War Museum Film Archive holds
films on many aspects of the role of women during wartime. These include
British government films from both the First and Second World War on women
working on the land, as in 'Women's Land Army' (1917), films on women's
work in munitions factories such as 'A Day in the Life of a Munition Worker'
(1917) or ‘Night Shift’ (1942), and films encouraging women
to support the war effort in the home through good housekeeping –
for example, ‘The Secret’ (1918) or 'The Way to His Heart'
(1942). |
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