Defence of the Realm
The Home Front during 1914-18, however, embraced far more than women undertaking a new range of responsibilities. In some ways the Defence of the Realm Act (DORA), passed in August 1914, symbolises what the Home Front idea meant. This gave government powers to commandeer economic resources for the war effort, imprison without trial, censor the printed or spoken word and greatly control a citizen’s life.
As well as rationing, public house opening times were restricted. This was as much to keep the nation fit for long hours at work, as to satisfy Lloyd George's anxieties over alcohol. Pubs could originally open between 5.30am and half past midnight - this was amended to midday to 2.30pm and 6.30 to 9.30pm daily.
The sense of a Home Front grew more acute as World War One ground on. In February 1917, German U-boats sank 230 ships bringing food to Britain, and over half a million tons of shipping in March. This, with the need to release even more men from agriculture to serve at the front, led to the creation of the Women's Land Army. Their task was to maximise the output from the land to feed the nation and counteract the effect of the U-boats.
Some farmers resisted this measure and the Board of Trade had to send officers around the country to persuade farmers to accept women employees. The strategy was successful, and by the end of 1917 there were over 260,000 women working as farm labourers. Elsewhere on the Home Front, rationing reduced the weekly consumption of sugar and meat in 1918.
Another way of releasing men was found with the formation in 1917 of the Royal Defence Corps of soldiers too old for the front, who could guard ports, main roads and railway yards. In many ways, they anticipated the Home Guard of 1940.
Published: 2005-03-14
