Women in the war : the last heroines of Britain's greatest generation

'An important contribution to our recent history' ANDREW MARR 'Absorbing and important' JOAN BAKEWELL 'One of my favourite reads of 2021' GARETH RUSSELL Poignant and inspiring, Women in the War tells the first-hand stories of ten of the last surviving female members of Britain's 'Greatest Generation'. Whether flying Spitfires to the frontline, aiding code breaking at Bletchley Park, plotting the Battle of the Atlantic or working with Churchill in the Cabinet War Rooms, each of these women made a crucial contribution to the conflict overseas and helped to buttress the home front. Here they recount their remarkable experiences during the Second World War, recalling how their formative years were shaped by danger and trauma, and how friendship and romance fortified their spirits. Drawing on the insight that comes with age, they contemplate how the conflict helped women prove their worth, transforming society and sparking the later battles for equal rights. With a reporter's eye for detail, Lucy Fisher artfully weaves together moving contemporary interviews with gripping wartime diaries and letters. This is a vivid oral history that will stay with you long after you've put it down. Poignant and inspiring tales from the heroines of our greatest generation - the final words of the surviving women of the Second World War. Women in the War beautifully weaves together the oral histories of ten remarkable women who dedicated their young adulthood to the war effort. From aiding codebreaking at Bletchley Park to plotting the Battle of the Atlantic and working alongside Churchill in the War Rooms below Whitehall, these are the women who helped to defend the Home Front and kept Britain going. Now with the wisdom of age they look back at how they coped with danger, trauma and stress, and tell how their spirits were fortified by friendship, fellowship and romance. Written by award-winning journalist Lucy Fisher, who is defence editor of The Times, this is a vivid exploration of how the war changed the lives of these women and society forever. Based on extensive interviews and including extracts from diaries, contemporary letters, and an array of photographs, this is a celebration of the bravery and resilience of these women and how they proved their worth and paved the way for equal rights. Their last words can be found here in this both nostalgic and forward-looking narrative, which provides many lessons for the modern reader on how to survive life's greatest difficulties with good cheer and fortitude