"Life" 'photo of a Home Guard sergeant introducing ladies of the Womens' Defence Force (WDF) to the pleasures of rifle drill.  The Home Guard did not admit women at any point but, with many women anxious to "do their bit" in aid of the home defence, tacit acceptance of the formation of strictly unrecognised Womens' Defence Force units as an unofficial adjunct to Home Guard units was eventually forthcoming, on the strict understanding that they would be absolutely non-combattant in their function.  Clearly, at least some WDF ladies got some arms training, if only to facilitate the propaganda photographer ... Best regards, JR.

"Mum's Army" (UK)

"Life" magazine 'photo of Cicily Clark, a member of Britain's wartime Womens' Timber Corps.  Less famous than their sisters of the Womens' Land Army, the ladies of the Womens' Timber Corps (some 5,000 at peak membership) replaced the men on vital forest duties.  Their main tasks were to fell trees and to cut and shape them suitably for use as such necessary items as telephone/telegraph polls and pit props for the coal mines.  Many attained high levels of skill, not only in the tree felling and trimming end, but in sawmill operation and management as well.  All wasted after the war, when the women were sent home with little official recognition.  This was belatedly righted in 2007, when former "timberjills" were issued an official commemorative badge.  Best regards, JR.

Womens' Timber Corps (UK)

Cover of Paris fashion magazine, "Mode du Jour", May 1941.  Clearly, even under the stresses of German Occupation, "la Parisienne" wanted to keep up with the latest fashion trends - although one wonders to what extent this harmless hobby moved over into the realms of pure fantasy as the war, with all its shortages, progressed.  Best regards, JR.