First World War munitions factory worker. Female worker carrying out welding at a munitions factory during the First World War (1914-1918). This is acetylene welding on a cylinder water jacket. The First World War caused immense social upheaval as women entered the workforce in large numbers to replace the men drafted or conscripted to fight as soldiers. The female workers played a vital role in producing munitions and keeping industries going. After the war, this social change aided the campaign for increased rights for women. Photographed in 1918.