FROM engineers pilots to clerks and medics to military policemen, 60 years of women in the Army has been celebrated.

With the creation of the Womens’ Royal Army Corps in 1949, women were first able to join up for a full-time career in the forces, rather than wartime auxiliary arrangements.

There are now more than 7,000 women in the ranks, who are all trained to use weapons but barred from roles where the primary duty is “to close with and kill the enemy.”

Despite this restriction, women are able to fill nearly three-quarters of the jobs on offer in the Army.

Female soldiers based in Colchester gathered yesterday to talk about their life in uniform.

EQUAL treatment is what women get – and expect – in the Army.

Apart from frontline fighting roles, men and women serve side by side and would not have it any other way.

Corporal Sonja McLeod works in 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps’ stores, handling everything from ammunition to aircraft parts.

“I’m doing the same work as men, we get absolutely no different treatment and would not expect it,” the 34-year-old said.

“At the end of the day we’re all here to do the same job.”

Cpl McLeod combines soldiering with looking after her four-year-old daughter Sofia.

“I find my life gives her stability and a good quality of life, and the Army is really sympathetic and compassionate to my needs,” she said.

“I wake up and do what any mum would do, go to work and then come home as a mum.”

In 1999, soon after joining up as “a young woman wanting adventure”, she deployed to Kosovo.

“It really got me in shape at the beginning of my career, and it was great to go out and help a country with real issues,” Cpl McLeod said.

“I love the Army life and want to do the full term and put my feet up in my 40s with a full pension.”

Captain Athena Christodolou is in charge of a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers detachment working with 13 AA Spt Regt RLC.

“There is no job in my corps that I cannot do and I’m treated no differently to male colleagues,” the 28-year-old said.

“There are women that would like to do the infantry roles, but it’s not for me.”

Capt Christodolou was sponsored to do a mechanical engineering degree before heading to Sandhurst for officer training.

“I’ve always been in to outdoor pursuits and I went on an Army taster course when I was at school, and was hooked,” she said.

Her first posting in 2003 was to command a platoon of 40 men in Germany.

“I’d just got out of training and didn’t really think about having all these guys under me,” she said.

“It never occurred to me that I would be treated any differently to any other officer, but I’m sure I was.”

Her gender came to the fore when she was deployed to Afghanistan last year with 16 Air Assault Brigade, working on civil-military co-operation projects.

“I was the main point of contact for the women of Helmand, helping them set up projects to improve their lot,” she said.

“It needed a woman there, because in Afghan culture women cannot be seen to meet with men from outside their family.

“I worked very closely with Afghan men too and none minded working with a women because they all appreciated what we were doing for them.”

Also in Afghanistan was 19-year-old Private Jordan Day, who was driving supply trucks across the deserts.

“We were driving for 20 hours at a time over rugged terrain in the heat and you really had to concentrate,” she said.

“Out there we’re treated the same as everybody else, and you just have to get on with it.”

Warrant Officer Class 2 Ruth Bowen is at the other end of “a very varied career”.

The 39-year-old finishes her 22 years next year, and is looking to set up a dog-walking business so she “never sits behind another desk”.

“I’m in charge of HR and admin for the unit, and have served in similar roles with artillery and engineer units,” she said.

“I also worked with Prince Charles, dealing with his military roles and personal diary. I’m still in touch with Princes William and Harry occasionally, and glad to be getting out before I find one of them in charge of me!”