The Bomber Command Memorial Centre has made a real effort to highlight the role of women in World War 2. There are ten silhouettes made of Corten A weathering steel. At first I thought it was just rusty iron but it's a steel alloy which forms a crust which looks like rust but is stable and doesn't leave a messy mark on your finger when you run your hand over it.
One of the women commemorated was Stella Charnaud, better known as Lady Reading. After her husband died in 1935 she became very involved in public work and in 1938 she responded to the Home Secretary's request to form a women's organisation in case of war. By 1942 the Women's Voluntary Service had a million members. They were key in organising the evacuation of children from the cities to the countryside and providing help to anyone displaced because of the war. Nella Last (Housewife, 49) was a member.
Those sculptures [if that's the correct word] are so clever. I am glad that the contribution of women yo ww2 is better recognised now
ReplyDeleteThere are several silhouettes (that's what the Centre calls them) and I shall probably do a few more of them on days I have nothing much to blog about. They seem to be keeping watch.
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