This chapter focuses on ideals relevant to those liable to military service. The first half examines the relationship between military service, citizenship and property ownership. During the Republic the latter two were regarded as essential requirements for service in the legions, on the assumption that citizens and those with a minimum amount of property had the strongest incentive to fight on behalf of the Roman state; this gave rise to the related ideals of the citizen-soldier and the farmer-soldier. Over time, however, these reference-points shifted. During the late Republic property ownership became less important while citizenship was gradually extended to provincials, culminating in Caracalla’s universal grant in 212. Nonetheless, these ideals continued to be influential through Late Antiquity. The second half focuses on the ideal of courage, especially as epitomised by the concept of virtus. Its relationship to performance in battle (including single combat), to manliness and to religious ritual during the Republic is considered, as is the evolution of the concept during the Principate and Late Antiquity. Attention is also given to instances of female courage.

The prologue serves as an introduction to the book and tells the story of Corporal Daphne Pearson of the WAAF, who was awarded the George Cross for her bravery in saving the life of a RAF pilot in 1940, and Dame Laura Knight’s official portrait of Pearson, which is on display at the Imperial War Museum in London.

This chapter provides an overview of such matters as uniform, accommodation, food and pay. Members of the women's forces, like their counterparts working in the civil defence services, generally received two-thirds of the pay of their male colleagues of comparable rank and trade in their 'parent services'.

This chapter describes the training undertaken by new recruits to the women’s forces and the selection procedures utilised to place them in the most appropriate military roles. It also considers the training and selection of women officers and discusses the adoption of psychological testing for those recommended for commissioned rank in the ATS.

During the war, members of the women’s services were deployed with their ‘parent’ forces all around the world. This came to include such locations as the United States, Canada, the West Indies, Egypt, Palestine, Algeria, Kenya, South Africa, Italy, Gibraltar, Malta, Australia, India, Ceylon and north-west Europe. This chapter analyses the guidelines which governed their overseas service and the decision to post members of the ATS abroad compulsorily. It also covers their service life overseas. The dearth of female contact for servicemen overseas, for example, made them much sought after as off-duty companions.

This chapter covers the recreational activities of servicewomen. The military authorities were sensitive to the off-duty pursuits of servicewomen and on occasion intervened in order to protect their ‘feminine virtue’. The chapter also deals with their romances with servicemen, incidences of sexual harassment, and lesbianism in the women’s forces. This latter issue was the subject of an ATS memorandum entitled ‘A Special Problem’.

This chapter begins with an overview of the wartime organisation of the WAAF, WRNS and ATS. It then moves on to a discussion of voluntary recruitment for these forces and the decision to introduce military conscription for women in 1941. It concludes with the findings of a government committee set up in 1942 under Violet Markham to inquire into the amenities and welfare conditions in the three women’s services. The committee also investigated rumours of immorality that plagued these forces (and the ATS in particular).

This chapter investigates the medical arrangements made for servicewomen as well as their general health. This includes a discussion of such matters as foot deformities, head infestation, menstrual disorders, venereal disease and pregnancy. Unmarried pregnant personnel were a particular concern for the military authorities and much thought was given to their welfare.