[1980s] Background and Parent Unit for Female in 14 Co in the British Armed Forces

Pursuivant · 11-09-2024, 12:46 PM

It's likely you've already done your online research, but if not there appear to be good sources of historical information about women in the UK military linked to the various British military museums.

Most of the information is about 21st century expansion of women's roles in the military, however.

Looking at the various articles gives me the impression that the situation for women in the RA was pretty bleak in the 1970s. Legally, the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 limited women to support roles only. The closest a woman was likely to officially get to combat was as part of the medical corps. Even then, they wouldn't be combat medics but nurses or physicians in field hospitals.

Unofficially, however, the 1970s was the peak of "The Troubles" in NI so any member of the British military would unofficially be in harms way. While macho sexism and the relative scarcity of female soldiers would have limited combat exposure, a relatively open-minded commander might have be willing to use a female member of a support unit with unique skills in a potentially dangerous situations.

If you're willing to broaden your horizons a bit, I believe that the British intelligence services like MI5 did use female operatives. If their role required it, they might well have received "combat like" training before going undercover in NI.

11-09-2024, 12:46 PM	#6
Pursuivant Join Date: Apr 2005	Re: [1980s] Background and Parent Unit for Female in 14 Co in the British Armed Force It's likely you've already done your online research, but if not there appear to be good sources of historical information about women in the UK military linked to the various British military museums. Most of the information is about 21st century expansion of women's roles in the military, however. Looking at the various articles gives me the impression that the situation for women in the RA was pretty bleak in the 1970s. Legally, the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 limited women to support roles only. The closest a woman was likely to officially get to combat was as part of the medical corps. Even then, they wouldn't be combat medics but nurses or physicians in field hospitals. Unofficially, however, the 1970s was the peak of "The Troubles" in NI so any member of the British military would unofficially be in harms way. While macho sexism and the relative scarcity of female soldiers would have limited combat exposure, a relatively open-minded commander might have be willing to use a female member of a support unit with unique skills in a potentially dangerous situations. If you're willing to broaden your horizons a bit, I believe that the British intelligence services like MI5 did use female operatives. If their role required it, they might well have received "combat like" training before going undercover in NI.