Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview
  • The Girls Who Went to War

  • Heroism, Heartache and Happiness in the Wartime Women's Forces
  • By: Duncan Barrett, Nuala Calvi
  • Narrated by: Tania Rodrigues
  • Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (17 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Girls Who Went to War

By: Duncan Barrett, Nuala Calvi
Narrated by: Tania Rodrigues
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

The personal accounts of three young women who joined up in 1940.

In the summer of 1940, Britain stood alone against Germany. The British Army stood at just over one and a half million men, while the Germans had three times that many, and a population almost twice the size of ours from which to draw new waves of soldiers. Clearly, in the fight against Hitler, manpower alone wasn’t going to be enough.

Eighteen-year-old Jessie Ward defied her mother to join the ATS, Margery Pott signed up for the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, and nanny Kathleen Skin the WRNS. They left quiet homes for the rigours of training, the camaraderie of the young women who worked together so closely and to face a war that would change their lives for ever.

Overall, more than half a million women served in the armed forces during the Second World War. This book tells the story of just three of them – one from the Army, one from the Navy and one from the Air Force. But in their stories are reflected the lives of hundreds of thousands of others like them – ordinary girls who went to war, wearing their uniforms with pride.

©2015 Duncan Barrett and Nuala Calvi (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Sugar Girls cover art
The Girl on the Beach cover art
The Tobacco Girls cover art
The Jam Factory Girls cover art
The Girls of Bomber Command cover art
A Wing and a Prayer cover art
Summer's End cover art
A Wartime Summer cover art
We'll Meet Again cover art
The Steel Girls cover art
A Wartime Secret cover art
The Forgotten Daughter cover art
Goodbye Piccadilly cover art
Going Places cover art
Not Without My Sister cover art
Sing Them Home cover art

What listeners say about The Girls Who Went to War

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good listen

Enjoyed this book brought back stories my mom told me of her time in the RAF happy and sad times .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it

What did you like best about this story?

The stories of each woman is written with great empathy and understanding. It was authentic and well researched. The women each getting a chance to speak about their experiences during difficult times and the comradeship they found were a joy to listen to

Have you listened to any of Tania Rodrigues’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Tania Rodigues' performance had exactly the right tone for the stories she related

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Too many to pick one

Any additional comments?

If you like this ear of history and are interested in a different perspective, that of ordinary women coping in extraordinary circumstances, then this is a good listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heart warming...

I recommend everyone to read and listen to this story. My nan was in the WRAF(sadly no longer with us) ....these fantastic stories brought my nan back to life. I wish I can thank these ladies in person for what they have done for our country. My eldest daughter in going into the RAF Police next year, so I hope she will have plenty of experience of life like these heroes. Thank you for this wonderful book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Important read

This book is another important read, to understand the true difficulties faced during WW2. These women show a remarkable strength of character and unfailing will to survive very difficult situations with courage and grace. I'm not ashamed to say this book made me cry for these women but also to laugh with them too. A fantastic book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love it.

Have just listened to this book for the 15th time. Super narration. Well written. The narrators voice is very very relaxing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful