In Defence of Mam'selle

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 11 (Supplement)

In Defence of Mam'selle

gIR, —I was very mucli surprised to read an article in the "Diseers' Page" bv "D.8.." N.Z.F.A. I want to contradict most emphatically hie statement that the girls who were working in the ol<l brewery at Pont (le Xieppe could see the soldiers while tliev were bathing. The girls were workiug u[Stairs and it was impossible for them to see what was going on downstairs. Furthermore, we could not see the- road as our iron benches and washing tube were too far back from the windows, and we had something else to do besides look out of windows, as D.B. should know. I happened to be one of those girls who worked in the old brewery from August, 1914, to the latter part of 1917, when, on account of the continuous shelling, I was compelled to move to Paris as my nerves were shattered. He also states that naked men were running down the street and that Madame was not by any means shocked. To be candid, I don't believe him. Anyone would think r that French women were not as decent as women from any part of the world. Let me inform D.B. they are just as easily shocked. I married a New Zealand soldier in France and I I have been just as good a wife to him as any other woman could have been. In any case we have raised a family and are perfectly happy.—French War Worker.

Laundry Work At Nieppe Brewery

gIR, —I read in the '"Diggers' Page" the other week an article'by "D.8." jofl the batlis at Pont de Xieppe. He states that the girls could see the soldiers when they were bathing. This is not correct. I was in charge of a party of men during August and September, 1917, stationed at the baths, and it was not possible for the girls to see the men, as they were working upstairs and one had "to go to the side of the building to reach the stairs. I always found these girls just as decent a lot as anyone would find anywhere. My personal opinion of the women of France was that they were the same as in any other country, some good, others not so good. As regards these girls at Pont de Nieppe, they had as much shellfire as we had in the front line, yet they stuck to their job. I have notliinsr but admiration for them. — 10/2570.