Coalville: The First World War Women’s Team That Made Football History

By day they toiled in dirty and dangerous factories making shells for the British forces fighting in the First World War.

But after the shifts ended, a group of women from Coalville, in Leicestershire, took to the football pitches to make sporting history.

Coalville Munitions Girls’ Football Club remains the only women’s team to win the Bass Charity Vase regional competition in its 134-year history.

The team lifted the trophy in 1918 when women’s teams participated as many men were away in the army.

“I don’t think these women are given enough credit,” said sports historian Professor Jean Williams.

“They were doing dirty, dangerous work with munitions and then they didn’t go home and rest.

“They said, ‘No, our lads are out front and we want to play charity football.’

Prof Williams said that when some national competitions were suspended during the war, the Bass Charity Vase was continued both to boost morale and raise money to support wounded soldiers returning from the battlefields .

Midlands clubs including Leicester Fosse, Derby County, Stoke City, Coventry City and Burton usually competed for the vase, but women’s sides stepped in in 1918.

After Coalville Munitions Girls lifted the trophy that year, defeating Shobnall Girls 3-1 in the final, the war was over and it was back to a men’s competition.

Prof Williams said women were effectively banned from playing football in 1921 when they were banned from Football League grounds.

BBC sports journalist Sophia Hartley and Leicester City Football Club historian Elsie Flynn found relatives of some of the Ammunition Girls.

They included Peter Trudge, son of Elizabeth Edwards, who played on the right.

Mr Trudge, now 80, said he was proud of what she had achieved.

“She was genuine, hardworking and friendly – small, very quick on her feet.

“The only thing I remember about her football is that she said she only headed the ball once.

“For as long as I can remember, (the team) has won every game they’ve played.”