Bomb Girls: Britain's Secret Army: The Munitions Women of World War II

by Jacky Hyams

They were the unsung heroines of World War II; the wives, mothers, and teenage girls, all "doing their bit" for the war effort, clocking in daily to work in vast munitions factories, helping make the explosives, bullets, and war machines that would ensure victory for Britain. It was dangerous, dirty, and exhausting work. They worked round the clock, often exposed to toxic lethal chemicals. A factory accident could mean blindness, loss of limbs—or worse. Many went home with acid burns, yellow skin, or discolored hair. Others were forced to leave their loved one and move to live with total strangers in unfamiliar surroundings. Frequently, their male bosses were coarse and unsympathetic. Yet this hidden army of nearly two million women toiled on regardless through the worst years of the war, cheerfully ignoring the dangers and the exhaustion, as bombing, rationing, and the heartbreak of loss or separation took their toll on everyone in the country. Only now, all these years later, have they chosen to tell their remarkable stories. Here, in their own words, are the vivid wartime memories of the "secret army" of female munitions workers, whose resilience and sheer grit in the face of danger has only now started to emerge.These are the intimate and personal stories of an unforgettable group of women, whose hard work and quiet courage made a significant contribution to Britain's war effort. They didn't fire the bullets, but they filled them up with explosives. And in doing so, they helped Britain with the war.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, War, World War II, Audiobook, Autobiography, British Literature

214 pages, Hardcover

First published August 5, 2013

About the author

History, especially the 20th Century, is a real passion for me. Yet I didn't start writing about it until quite recently because my career as a journalist and editor took up all my waking hours! I started out as a feature writer, in Sydney Australia, on magazines like Woman's Day, Cosmopolitan and Rolling Stone and my career as a columnist and movie writer took me all over the world for many years until I arrived back where I started, in London, England and various editing jobs on mass market magagines like Bella and Me. Then I freelanced for many years for many major newspapers and magazines. In 2005, I decided there was a real need for an informative self help book for families with older parents and my first book, Time to Help Your Parents was published by Piatkus. At that point, I realised that non fiction writing was even more enjoyable than I'd imagined and since then, I've written six more titles, including The Real Life Downton Abbey and Bombsites & Lollipops -- which some Goodreaders seem to be enjoying!

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a bit strange to think there are people growing up now whose grandparents weren't even alive during the war. It's odd reading this book because these girls... my grandmother would easily have been one of them if she were a bit older. I don't know what my nan did during the war, but I can imagine her doing this. And the other things they talk about, dances and air raid shelters and rationing... that's still real for me because of Grandma and Nanny. (Grandad didn't really talk about the war as such, though he loved to talk about his time in the Navy; Grampy probably wouldn't have told me anything about it had I been old enough before he died, and all I remember him ever telling me was how to build a stable Lego house. I get the impression Grandad mainly went to the pictures, and Grampy mainly wandered around on the front lines, but goodness knows if that's memory or invention in the latter case.)

These women, I almost felt like I knew them. Their voices are a little similar, filtered through Jacky Hyams, and their experiences were very much the same. Their opinions differ -- one lady writes optimistically about women now doing their bit just the same as they did back then, while the next says that women now are too selfish -- although there's often a similar outlook which says, we just had to do it, so we did.

(For the record, I would do what I had to, too. I'd probably go more the nursing route, though: not because I'd be afraid, but because I'd rather patch people up than make things to put holes in them.)

Bomb Girls is a valuable collection of stories that shouldn't be forgotten: perhaps not the most exciting to read, but I think it's important that these women are (finally) given a voice and remembered. They were every bit as much heroes as the men out on the front lines.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this was good for me. At present, I know nothing of these times. I’m renowned for wandering off the subject so, ...

…none of this is taught in school. It seems to me that the majority of teachers today would rather brush the subject of WW2 away with one line explanations of a difficult time in Europe when political disagreement led to conflict. Let’s get back on track...

…the first part of the book did me well as it gave an insight into how the munitions factories ran, how they were staffed and there, by and large, female population that stepped forward to do this dangerous work. I learnt a great deal.

As the book goes on, I got to hear of the women themselves: now this was good. I imagine the vast majority of the women were from the same slice of society (the working class) and that very few came from other backgrounds so, I can understand why the author seemed to tread much of the same ground with each of the individuals spoken of.

I did enjoy the book and, there is, I’m of the belief, little said of the work these brave ladies slaved at. The author does drive the fact home on more than one occasion, which, although can’t be argued against, did become a little off-putting.

Another plus for the book is that it has made me hunger for more about ‘women at war’. I’ll bet and, I will find out, those gals on the other side of the pond did much of the same.

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting 🧐 no recognition for these girls but boy did they work hard in the condition of war. Highly recommended to people who love history and war type books

[Natalie Cranberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up on a whim at the Museum of Liverpool.

I was not disappointed.

What makes Bomb Girls extraordinary is that it allows several different women to fully explain their situations and feelings about being munitions workers in their own words. Nearly every chapter ends with how that particular woman feels about the fact that these female munitions workers have yet to be thanked by the British government for the extent of their work and efforts.

Talking about women in the 1940s is always a complex and emotional discussion. Sacrifices were being made left and right and the shape of the western family was being shaped like clay. Somehow despite that the phrase suicide group never comes to mind.

Let me say that again in case you missed it: suicide group .

Why suicide group ? Oh, because they were constantly at risk of death by a simple chemical or mechanical error.

How this element of the great story of the war effort has not been explored is beyond me. Here are young women, often just freshly 18, handing dangerous chemicals, witnessing humans blowing up, and living a secret life that cannot be disclosed to strangers.

These lives are worthy of our attention, passion, and imagination. I am just thankful that I have had the opportunity to expose myself to them.

[Kelly Loves Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was incredibly interesting, until it started to repeat itself.

I never knew that Britain had so many millions of woman working in munitions, and the fact that they earnt far more than their fathers spoke volumes. It is also interesting that Britain has not yet formally recognised these Bomb Girls and the service to their country.

I think having each individual ladies' story separate made the book monotonous. I would have preferred a chronological sequence with the snippets of story dispersed throughout.

2 stars because the history was interesting.

[Kazimiera pendrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book. it was very interesting and informative. The subject of this book is about the women munitions workers of World War 2 which is a subject that there does not seem to be much information and in my opinion it is a travesty that these women did not get more recognition for the valuable and dangerous work they carried out during the war.

[Loni Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was a little dry for me, i felt like for the first half and the last portion i was reading a history text book. I also felt as though the stories were too similar. Overall not impressed

[Tess Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3- Bomb Girls is a compilation of short stories, told by women who served in Munitions factories all over Britain during World War 2. It is evident throughout this text that Jacky Hyams cares deeply about these women and her subject matter. However, I feel that because she's so close to her source material, so connected, the art of storytelling was lost. The book was a very dry read.

That being said, there are many things to like about Bomb Girls. My favorite aspect of the novel was the continuous theme of women supporting other women. The ladies who tell their stories throughout the text have nothing but nice things to say about the other women they worked with. This book is 100% girl power, and it was refreshing to read a thoroughly feminist book that wasn't throwing the definition in your face.

Reading the women's chapters reminded me of sitting down to tea with a group of sweet and spunky grandmothers. Their personalities were well represented. My one qualm with these stories would be that they all felt very similar, which was disappointing, but I'm sure it was hard to avoid; considering that these women were all in their late 80's when being interviewed by Hyams, I'm sure there wasn't a long list of women available to interview. She had to take the stories she could find.

Even though it wasn't my favorite book of the year, I would recommend Bomb Girls to history buffs and girl power enthusiasts everywhere.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. These women didn’t get the recognition they deserve and this book has helped give some of that back

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting account of the woman who worked in munitions during World War 2; the work was hard and dangerous but they had no recognition.

[Alison Boniface · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you possibly review other people’s life stories?
But I have to say they were beautifully written and recorded. I cannot believe the bomb girls are yet to be recognised for their war work and the daily risk to their lives. People like them are what made us a great nation and helped win the war.

[Outlander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recent history that is (once again) forgotten. Women in these war work factories won the war just as much as those on the front line did - quite a team effort !

My mother was one of these women and worked at ROF Swynnerton. At last here is a request for recondition of that from the UK Parliament. I do hope it's been successful, quote :

"That this House honours and gives thanks to the brave individuals who served in Britain's armed forces during the Second World War; acknowledges, also, the vital and often dangerous work carried out by the people who worked on the home front; welcomes efforts over recent years to give official recognition to such groups; notes with some concern the fact that munitions workers, such as those at Royal Ordnance Factory 55 Swynnerton, have received no such formal recognition; further notes that work in munitions factories was extremely dangerous and that many workers were killed or received serious injuries which continue to affect them to this day; and therefore urges the Government to formally recognise the contribution of former munitions factory workers as a matter of urgency. '

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was particularly keen to read this book because my mother was one of the bomb girls and I grew up with her stories of her time living and working at Swynnerton in Staffordshire. Unfortunately I was a little disappointed - it's all very well to let the women featured here tell their stories individually but it inevitably leads to a degree of repetition and a more thematic approach might have been more engaging and informative for the reader. Certainly from an entirely selfish perspective I would have welcomed a good deal more detail about Swynnerton, one of the most significant of the WW2 munitions factories. I would like to see some kind of formal recognition of the contribution these women made to the war effort (before it's too late) - they didn't have the glamour and recognition conferred by a uniform but they did a vital and dangerous job

[Jan Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book mostly for research but also because my mother was a 'bomb girl' in Croydon, South London. So I was very surprised that all of the factories and workers included were from north of Birmingham.

Granted most of the purpose built Royal Ordnance Factories were well away from London for obvious reasons, but there is barely a mention of the many other sites - mainly existing factories that had been producing goods no longer available and turned over to war work. Paynes Poppet factory in Waddon, for example, stopped making chocolates and moved over to producing fuses.

This lapse hints at a serious lack of research.

Most of the book is taken up with a series of memoirs from ex-workers that are good to read in so much as recognition of what they went through but they are understandably almost identical in facts and tone. That is to be expected to some extent but a little more research by Hyams on specific jobs being spoken of would have made for more interest and factual spread.

Perhaps having heard some tales from my mother and aunt from a young age the anecdotes felt like old ground and I wanted facts. Sadly there was almost nothing new in here.

I was surprised to read that Hyams worked as an editor because the number of times that she uses the word 'yet' was seriously annoying.

The book does highlight the fact that the contribution to the war effort by these brave women was not recognised until 2012/13 but beyond that the wider facts are seriously lacking.

Not a book I would recommend.



Not recommended.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting, engrossing and poignant book that tells the untold stories of the courageous women who played a vital, yet for many years overlooked, role during World War II - working in the munitions factories.

The author beautifully weaves together the stories of these remarkable women who stepped into dangerous and crucial work to support the war effort. Through meticulous research and heartfelt storytelling, she brings to life the challenges, sacrifices, and triumphs of these unsung heroes.
Each woman's story is unique, yet they have so many similarities.
The book not only sheds light on the technicalities of their work but also delves into the personal lives and struggles these women faced amid the tumult of war. The stories tell of their resilience, camaraderie, and unwavering spirit in the face of adversity - and also captures the essence of the era, painting a vivid picture of the societal shifts, the hardships, rationing, the innocence of the young women who were doing these jobs.

I think the book meant more to me as I worked for many years in the defence industry & visited some of sites of some of these munitions factories, including Glascoed, Chorley & Woolwich Arsenal, in their later iterations.

"Bomb Girls" is a heartfelt tribute to the women whose stories deserved to be told and it makes for a compelling read. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator Helen Lloyd did a great job of telling the stories, differentiating between the different voices and really bringing them to life.

[Ellesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

During World War II everyone in the UK had to do their bit, each person their contribution was different - this book covers the young women who worked every day within the Munitions factories across the country.

The women made bullets and explosives every day for the front line to help the country win the war despite all the dangers they were facing. The job was tiring and very dangerous with toxic chemicals which could cause serious consequences if an accident happened or even if one person was exposed too long.

I really felt for the women who had to up and move across the country living in areas away from their families and live with people they had never met

There were over 2 MILLION women working within these factories across the whole country, I really appreciated how the voices of the women came across in the pages, I really appreciated how each woman was given a voice not just merging them into one voice. I am so pleased their stories have been preserved

[Cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely unaware of the Bomb Girls and all their efforts during the war (as were most of their contemporaries), so it was interesting to learn more about their part and what they did. So many of them risked their lives and even life-long health impacts and have been pretty much overlooked. I enjoyed hearing the stories of the individual women, however the book got a little repetitive with the introduction and the ending summarizing their stories. It was helpful to have an intro to lay the groundwork for what we were about to hear, especially setting up the context that is so different than the world today and unfamiliar/outdated terms, but it felt as though it could have been tightened up to be more brief. A great introduction to some of the stories of the Bomb Girls.

3.5 stars, but rounding up because of the knowledge I gained.

[Emma Dargue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting overview into one of WW2's hidden sectors - the bomb girls/munitions workers that worked their butts of to help protect Britain from the Nazi threat. These brave ladies often went into this work not knowing what would happen as the work they were doing was dangerous dealing with highly volatile and explosive materials that meant that one false move or mistake could at best mean serious injury or at worst be fatal. I loved the way this book was written as Jackie Hyams made sure to essentially take down these ladies testimony rather than give us an opinion based narrative. This made each ladies story incredibly personal and gave a great insight into how these women survived and lived during this scary time.

[Lauren]

The individual stories within the book were emtertaining, up to a point. Around halfway through they begin to become repetitive, all these women appear to have had the same experience, marrying their childhood sweethearts/neighbourhood boys right after the war and living happily ever after. I wonder if women who had negative consequences during munitions work did not want to be interviewed, or whether the editor chose not to include such stories.
I might have enjoyed this book more if it only contained snippets of stories, with more detail on what general munitions work was like. The book remains, however, and easy to read history of the time, even for those who have no prior knowledge of the period.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book certainly informed me. I knew about the Royal Arsenal being a munitions site, but did not know about any of the other sites. I also had no knowledge of the conditions and the dangers the people working there were under, let alone the that they were drafted there as opposed to having a choice. How did I know so little ? I can only think that there were not authors like Jacky Hyams, who were willing to highlight their work. The first part of the book explains how these women were treated, and then it goes on to tell us about some of the individual women's stories, and these are told by the women themselves I cannot believe that these women have been ignored for so long, where Land Girls have had no end to tributes, as have the other forces that helped to win a war.

[Sue Wickstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was delighted to find this book as my late aunt was a bomb girl.
She didn't say a lot but did once metion she wanted the work of her fellow colleagues to be acknowledged.
I did a bit of research and even contacted my MP for recognition.
But other things got in the way.
however, I was thrilled to find this book, I knew a bit but now I really understood the difficulties and hardships she faced.
sadly she was not there to see this herself but many of the things made sense of behaviours this diminutive aunt was supposed to display.
I'm sure my aunt Rose would have been pleased, if not for herself then for others, to have known they were not completely forgotton.
I was pleased to read the first copy and to recieve an updated signed copy for my mum, my aunts sister.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

My nan was a munitions worker during WW2, splitting childcare with a neighbour who worked the opposite shift.

The work was extremely dangerous, often using toxic chemicals, yet it seems records are spotty about the women who armed our forces.

Unlike the Land Girls or the Bevin Boys, the munitions workers have never been formally recognised or thanked for their contribution to the war effort. This book sheds much-needed light on their role.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book telling the stories of a few women working in factories during the second World War, doing their best to help the boys come home and win the war. Despite the crazy dangers in the job and numerous accidents, some more grave than others, they carried on not knowing what else to do besides being careful. Such comradery and support amongst themselves is admirable. Heartwarming stories.

[Eddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting: the hidden history of munitions workers (virtually all of whom were women) in WW2, in their own words. The commentary about society, poverty, family relationships was very revealing too, showing how the war changed these things forever.

Selection bias being what it is, these accounts probably somewhat overemphasis the positives of the experience and how people felt about the war, being called up etc, but they are all honest accounts.

[Michelle Cornish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating history!

Such courageous women are featured in this book! I picked up this book because my grandmother worked at the Aycliffe munitions factory. It's a great read - I enjoyed learning how the women ended up working in munitions, as well as the history of the factories. Many of the women in the book said they never thought about how dangerous it was, they just got on with it. Spoken in true Brit style!

[Jen Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading about women and World War II. I usually read fiction, this book was actual real stories told by the women themselves. I find it so unimaginable to have had to work on ammunition and or bombs and then go home and cook dinner! Truly a different fight then fighting in the war but just as dangerous and wounding.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

One can see that the author has piled up plenty of research in strategizing this book, it is a story that needed to be told. And Ms. Hyams does so with the personal stories she includes. It is a particular boon that these are firsthand accounts. Within a few more years there would be no one to tell what was experienced behind the scenes.

[Pauline Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It starts with the history of the munitions factories and how they came about and follows on with individual stories from female munitions workers.
It gave an insight into how dangerous the work was and how little recognition the women received for their work.

[Ellie Rainford]

Eye-opening. Read the whole thing in one day. I couldn't put it down. Originally used as reference text for my university dissertation in 2019, I found it really useful. During lockdown, I decided to actually sit and read it for leisure. It was a very enjoyable and interesting read.

[Daryl Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a much deserved recognition for the women’s work in ww2.Its actually a shocking story how they survived through the war with such a stressful day everyday through the year.I recommend this book 📖