Women

During World War One, many men left to fight in the war. But back at home, workers were still needed in the factories and workforces. These vacancies needed to be filled but employing boys and elderly men didn't seem to be doing the trick. There was only 1 thing left to do. Employ women. Men seemed to think they were better than the women and thought they deserved more respect and had to feel more important and privileged. The war showed that women could be as good and even better than men at working. Also there were many heroes behind the front line like nurses. A famous Nurse in World War One was Edith Cavell.

Edith Cavell

Edith Cavell was a nurse who worked in Belgium Hospitals during the war. Germany owned Belgium and many patients there were Allied soldiers and the Germans wanted to keep them captive after they had recovered. Edith Cavell came from England and she helped the Allied soldiers escape.She was born in 1865 in Swardeston in Norfolk. In 1886, she became a governess, looking after the young children of a vicar in Steeple Bumstead in Essex.

In 1890, she became a governess to some wealthy children in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. She worked there for 5 years before returning home to nurse her father. Unfortunately he died but Edith decided that she wanted to become a nurse. The hours were long and hard and the pay was poor but Edith got a reputation for being a good nurse. After helping Allied soldiers escape the Germans arrested her under suspicion and after being assured that some of her friends had been captured and would die if she didn't confess, so she confessed. Her friends had not been captured but with her 30 people were arrested and executed on 12th October 1915.

On the eve of her execution she said "But this I would say, standing as I do in view of God and eternity, I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone."

Edith Cavell