New Exhibition Shows Changing Role Of Women In British Army

A new exhibition has opened at the National Army Museum highlighting the changing role of women in the British Army.

The 'Rise of the Lionesses' exhibition looks at the role of women in the Army through to the modern day.

It was set up by the National Army Museum and the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) Association.

Ali Brown, vice president of WRAC Association, said: "I think the real story here is just how women's roles have evolved in the Army since the First World War and how those evolving roles have mirrored society.

"There's a really strange parallel in as women's roles expanded in society, so they expanded in the Army."

Last year, then-Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced all combat roles in the military had been opened to women - including the Special Forces and the Royal Marines. 

Ms Brown, who joined the corps in 1984, said she is "extremely proud" and feels the story of women in the British Army is "complete"." 

On display is a chassis which Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) trained on during her time with the Auxillary Territorial Service (ATS) in World War Two.

Exhibition curator Kirsty Parson said: "It was an instructional chassis that was used by the ATS to train its members on how to conduct vehicle maintenance. 

"It had colour-coded parts so the instructor could tell how each part related to each other.

"[Queen Elizabeth II] not only learned vehicle maintenance but she was also a truck driver."

The medical kit of Sergeant Chantelle Taylor - the first woman to kill an enemy in combat - is also on display. 

The exhibition's opening comes as the association marks its 100th year which was formed for its welfare needs after the First World War.

The association has gone through numerous name changes since and eventually, decided to use the Women's Royal Army Corps as its name.

However, the corps was in fact founded 30 years after the association at the start of the Second World War.