National Service Act 1941

What did the Act achieve?

When so many men were conscripted into active service by the National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939, this created a shortage of people who could work in other areas. This was a problem because the war effort needed people not just to fight, but also do vital jobs like work in munitions factories and drive trains. The National Service Act extended conscription to include women, who were called up to do these important jobs. At first, the Act called up unmarried women aged between twenty and thirty, and childless widows. But the Government later extended the age range and included married women, too (except women who were pregnant or had young children).