By 1942, the first military organizations were created for women and more than 500 000 women served Canada during the Second World War. A number of Whitby women signed up for the Canadian Women's Army Corps, Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division, or the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (Wrens).

Margaret Stanlick, daughter of Arthur and Annie Stanlick, was the first Whitby woman to join the navy in 1943. She was stationed in Halifax during the war and by 1944 she was promoted to Leading Wren.

Camp X, a military intelligence training complex at the Whitby-Oshawa border, was another place where women worked during the Second World War. Evelyn Davis was 21 when she became a communications officer at Camp X. Women also trained at Camp X and it is estimated that about 2000 men and women graduated from the spy school.

Click on the link at the left to see more photos of Whitby women in military service.