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‘Canary Girls’ is an illuminating story of the courageous munitionettes of World War I

Air Date:
Heard On The Larry Meiller Show
In this old photo, women in factory uniforms handle dirty bomb shells. Some of them wipe them clean with a rag.
File from Dec. 18, 1942, United Kingdom. Salvaging and servicing shells, live ones that have not gone off, and new ones straight from the factory is the latest job to be tackled by the Auxiliary Territorial Service and one that has never been handled by women before. AP Photo

“Be the girl behind the man behind the gun” was the recruiting slogan that drew many women to dangerous munitions work during World War I. We talk about “Canary Girls,” the story of the British women who risked their lives to support the Allies during the war.

Episode Credits

  • Larry Meiller Host
  • Clara Neupert Producer
  • Trina La Susa Technical Director
  • Jennifer Chiaverini Guest

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