REMARKABLE WOMEN OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

This book quietly celebrates the stories that are
often left as family anecdotes

This book quietly celebrates the stories that are
often left as family anecdotes
REMARKABLE WOMEN OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR
encapsulates the spirit of womanhood during the Second
World War. Thousands — millions — of women the world
over kept society going whilst the conflict was played out
by their husbands, sons and brothers on the frontline.
Thousands of women were carers, nurses, cleaners and
teachers; thousands more stepped in where men had gone,
taking up such positions as engineers, farm labourers,
factory workers, drivers and intelligence experts.
This collection contains twelve true testimonies of women
who lived through these years; accounts given directly by
the women themselves to the book's author, Victoria
Panton Bacon, or indirectly through previously unpublished
documents shared by family members, especially for this
book.
The stories are poignant, touching and vivid — some of
those featured include a farmworker in the Women's Land
Army, a child evacuee whose east London home was
destroyed, a Lady Almoner caring for needy families at
Great Ormond Street Hospital, an Air Transport Auxiliary
aircraft engineer and a Dutch woman who was a child in
hiding with different families, whose mother was deported,
and she never saw again.
The accounts are inspiring, sometimes even amusing and
brave, and, like their subjects, are told humbly and
honestly without gung-ho rant or demands for attention.
Each story represents millions of ordinary women who did
extraordinary things, long before the days of political
exposure or campaign.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victoria's quest through her writing is to enable better
understanding of the Second World War. Both her previous
books — SIX WEEKS OF BLENHEIM SUMMER (Penguin) and
REMARKABLE JOURNEYS OF THE SECOND WORLD
WAR (The History Press) — contain true testimony given to
her by veterans who lived, and served, between 1939 and
1945. Victoria's work has been widely-acclaimed and she
has spoken at festivals including Chalke Valley and Budleigh
Salterton.
Before becoming a writer in 2012, Victoria worked at the
BBC as a researcher and producer. Prior to her television
work Victoria worked for the Conservative Party, including
in the Political Office at Downing Street for Sir John Major
in the run up to the 1997 General Election.
Victoria lives in Bungay, Suffolk.