MARIAH TORSNEY

During World War I, Britain witnessed a cultural phenomenon known as “Khaki Fever.” It was characterized by a surge of romantic and sexual interest between young women and soldiers dressed in khaki uniforms. It became so pronounced, the authorities and moral guardians of the time tried to police and regulate such interactions. These issues also appear in my historical fiction work, Roseleigh. Understanding Khaki Fever requires an examination of its precedent, “Scarlet Fever,” and the social context that fueled these anxieties.

The Precedent: Scarlet Fever

Before World War I, “Scarlet Fever” described women’s fascination with soldiers in the traditional red uniforms of the British Army. Women saw military men in the 19th century as symbols of bravery, patriotism, and masculinity. This fascination not only involved admiration but also frequently resulted in romantic relationships and marriages. The sight of a soldier in uniform stirred feelings of excitement and romance, leading to what people termed “Scarlet Fever.”

Moralists and authorities often viewed this phenomenon with suspicion and concern. Young women being swept off their feet by the allure of a uniform raised a variety of fears. These included moral degradation, particularly concerning premarital sex and the potential for illegitimate children. Scarlet Fever thus connoted both admiration and moral panic, setting the stage for the cultural anxieties of World War I.

The Emergence of Khaki Fever

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the British Army adopted khaki uniforms for practicality and camouflage. As millions of soldiers in khaki filled the streets of Britain, a new cultural phenomenon arose—Khaki Fever. Like its predecessor, an intense attraction that young women felt toward soldiers characterized Khaki Fever. The uniform, symbolizing duty, heroism, and adventure, became a powerful aphrodisiac in a society deeply affected by the war.

WWI’s impact on daily life was profound. The army decided to billet soldiers in local towns and villages or send them to the countryside on leave. Many young women found themselves drawn to the excitement and novelty of interacting with these men. Also, these interactions provided a temporary escape from the war’s hardships. The social dynamics of wartime Britain disrupted traditional courtship and created a fertile ground for these relationships to form.

Moral Panic and Policing Relations

The Headmistresses’ Association and the Federation of University Women proposed the formation of Women’s Patrols to prevent women from becoming too friendly with soldiers. The Surrey Advertiser highlighted the need for Women’s Patrol Committees on March 6th, 1918:

The giddy, giggling, irresponsible flappers one sees ogling soldiers and inviting their attentions are not only a danger to themselves and the men but they are a danger to their sex generally, for they cheapen womanhood in the eyes of the men in khaki.

When the UK War Office permitted these patrols outside military camps, they became particularly active in parks and cinemas. The Women’s Patrol Committee recommended cinemas not dim their lights between films after visiting 300 of them in three weeks. Local police and Women Police Volunteers collaborated to establish over 2,000 patrols, including over 400 in London. Other important organizations included the Voluntary Women Patrols of the National Union of Women Workers and the Women Police Volunteers (WPV).

In my historical novel, Roseleigh, a Women’s Patrol Committee makes just such an appearance when Lily is visiting the cinema:

As they waited for the newsreels and film to begin, a stern-looking woman dressed in a dark suit, boots, hat, wide leather belt, necktie, and armband walked down the aisle to the right of the foursome, scanning each row. When she got to the group, she slowed slightly, then continued her inspection, finally leaving from a front side door.

“Who was that?” Lily said.

“A kill-joy. Did you see her armband? One of them women patrol committees. They play at being police in parks, music halls, dance halls, cinemas—you know, any place young people gather. Especially soldiers. They should go home, have a cuppa and leave us be.

The authorities invoked The Defense of the Realm Act (DORA), a wartime measure granting the government extensive powers, to justify the interventions of Women’s Patrol Committee in the types of venues mentioned here.

Backlash

Just as with the soldier in the above quote from Roseleigh, there was also a backlash against these committees. For example, a letter signed “One of the Annoyed” appeared in The East Grinstead Observer on the 13th of November, 1915:

Something must be done to stop these so-called “Ladies” from interfering with respectable girls and their friends. I’m not ashamed to admit that I made friends with several soldiers and I have found them to be perfect gentlemen. On two or three occasions one or two of these ladies spoke to me about the behavior of the girls and soldiers in the town. These women seem to know all the girls in East Grinstead and Forest Row and all their business. They mentioned several things that I had done. They seem to know the exact place and time so I suppose they were watching me. I trust they will soon find something more useful to occupy their time.

Constance Antonina “Nina” Boyle, founder of the WPV, grew concerned about the role of her organization and others like it. She felt they were being exploited to promote anti-female propaganda and restrict women’s rights. She also condemned the adoption of the Regulation 40D amendment to DORA that brought back some of the controversial features of the nineteenth-century Contagious Diseases Acts. This amendment, which imposed penalties on women for intimate connections with members of the armed services, she condemned as sullying women’s reputations.

There was a clear double standard in how society treated the issues of Khaki Fever. The notion of “moral danger” was applied almost exclusively to the conduct of young women. As in the past, it was acceptable for boys and young men to be sexually adventurous.

There were ultimately many parallels between the women on surveillance and the young women they sought to control. As Lily’s friend Meridel—suffering herself from Khaki Fever—notes in my novel Roseleigh’s pages:

Meridel’s smile was brief. “Lil, I hate how hypocritical these women are. They tell me I shouldn’t be out after dark enjoying a little freedom and the excitement of the times. But aren’t they right alongside me? Aren’t they out instead of being at home? The only difference I can see is they wear an armband saying, look at me, I’m important!”

While the Khaki Fever phenomenon continued throughout the war, there was a notion the increase in women’s direct participation in the war effort reduced it. Women engaged in various such roles, including at munitions factories and as nurses and Voluntary Aid Detachment personnel.

The Legacy of Khaki Fever

Despite the efforts to control and suppress Khaki Fever, the phenomenon persisted throughout the war. It reflected the broader social changes that were occurring in Britain, where traditional norms were being challenged by the realities of a society at war. The war blurred the lines between public and private life, and the intense emotions of the period found expression in the relationships between soldiers and civilians.

There were some positive results. Some young women found friendship, others were protected from sexual assault, some found safe accommodation, many joined youth groups. Khaki Fever also provided new job opportunities for middle-class women. Some volunteered as moral welfare workers and social workers. Others found paid positions as women police officers, albeit with different conditions and duties than their male colleagues.

On a less positive note, the middle-class feminists who carved out these new opportunities for themselves demanded women behave with piety, chastity, and sobriety. They also emphasized the maternal influence they wielded, being older and coming from higher classes. As such, instead of challenging the prevailing ideas about class and gender, these women actually reinforced them. This was ironic as they trafficked in exactly the differences which had excluded women from various roles in society they had once rejected.

While Khaki Fever is often viewed with suspicion by contemporary observers, it also represented agency for young women who were navigating the uncertainties of wartime life. In the end, it was as much about the soldiers in uniform as it was about the society they were defending—a society grappling with the profound disruptions brought about by the Great War.

Conclusion

Khaki Fever, like its predecessor Scarlet Fever, reveals the complex intersections of military culture, gender dynamics, and societal anxieties. Despite efforts by authorities and moralists to police relationships between young women and soldiers, the phenomenon persisted throughout WWI. This reflected the broader social changes that were taking place in Britain. There were new opportunities for some women in moral welfare and police work. However, the women acting in these roles also reinforced traditional notions of class and gender. Khaki Fever highlighted tensions between the evolving roles of women in wartime society and attempts to maintain control over them. This, in turn, underscoring the profound impact of the war on both public and private life. In my historical fiction work, Roseleigh, I create a window into some of these impacts.

What’s your opinion of Khaki Fever? How do you think it remains relevant today? I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

If you want to learn more about my historical fiction portrayal of Khaki Fever in Roseleigh, join my mailing list to receive updates.

Notes and References

Viviene Cree, “‘Khaki Fever’ during the First World War: A Historical Case Study of Social Work’s Approach towards Young Women, Sex and Moral Danger,” The British Journal of Social Work, October 2016.

“Women’s Police Service,” Wikipedia, retrieved August 2024.

Philippa Levine, “‘Walking the Streets in a Way No Decent Woman Should’: Women Police in World War I,” The Journal of Modern History, Marsh 1994.

“Women’s Patrols in the First World War,” Spartacus Educational.