Československé ženy sloužící za druhé světové války v britských pomocných sborech ATS a WAAF

Abstract

This paper is focused on the issue of the military service of Czechoslovak women in the British armed forces, respectively in the British ATS and WAAF auxiliary services. More than 200 Czechoslovak women joined these services during the Second World War. As they could not be assigned to serve directly in the Czechoslovak armed forces, the British assigned them to various military camps and air bases throughout Great Britain. A sizable group of Czechoslovak women also entered British service in the Middle East. The following text will briefly outline the circumstances of the establishment and operation of the British auxiliary services and focus on the conditions of joining and the work duties of Czechoslovak women, both in the United Kingdom and, particularly, in the Middle East. In addition to issues related to the day-to-day service of Czechoslovak women in the British armed forces, it will also address the matter of why the Czechoslovak armed forces — despite the rising trend in other national forces — never established a similar type of women’s services.