‘We just did our best’: Victorian women during World War II

On the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Pacific Day, which meant the end of World War II for Australia, this paper considers the experiences of Victorian women during the war years.

Many women lived with the anxiety of having family members fighting overseas or being captured as prisoners of war; they also dealt with the threat of invasion, significant rationing, and an upheaval to their everyday lives. To support the war effort, many joined one of the armed services established specifically for women, or one of the voluntary organisations that raised money and provided comforts to service people.

Two women were serving in the Victorian Parliament during the war—Fanny Brownbill and Ivy Weber. This paper looks at their experiences, and shares some of the memories of other female parliamentarians who lived during the war years. It also details Victorian women’s experiences of the Australian Women’s Army Service, the Women’s Australian Auxiliary Air Force and the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service, as well as The Red Cross and the Australian Comforts Fund, which were predominately run by women.

The paper also explores some of the changes to Victorian women’s lives as they entered the workforce in record numbers and navigated a changing world.