WAITING FOR THE GIRLS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXII, Issue 76, 23 September 1941, Page 2

WAITING FOR THE GIRLS

N.Z.E.F. HAPPY ABOUT W.M.S.A.

GROUP

KEEN INTEREST AROUSED

(N.Z.E.F. Official News Service)

CAIRO, August 30

New Zealanders serving in the Middle East are always interested in hearing of the women's war, effort back home, but this interest 'has become much livelier with the announcement that 30 members of the Women's War Service Auxiliary have been chosen to proceed overseas. The news that these girls were coming over to assist in the New Zealand Forces Club and similar institutions established for the welfare of the troops was published this week in the troops' newspaper, the "N.Z.E.F. Times," together with the 30 names. From, the brigadier to his batman all ranks read it with pleasure. Already there are many women serving in the Middle East,, apart from the nursing sisters whose traditions of service have grown side by side with those of the Army. New Zealanders are by now quite accustomed to the sight of English A.T.S. girls and South African Women's Auxiliary Army Service members. They may be pardoned for a feeling of pride in :the fact that New Zealand's own women will now stand side by side with those of other countries.

. . There is a wide field for women's A effort on the home front, a fact to which New Zealand is wide awake, but the "work women are doing in the Middle East has proved that, there is ample scope here too. The~^ South African and English girls are engaged mainly on clerical and transport work. Australia intends to be in the picture too, and hats a large contingent of women training for overseas service. Apart from war considerations, New Zealand's soldiers, some of whom have been away from home for close on two i years, are pleased at the prospect I of seeing New Zealand girls again. ■ The 30 women chosen will be as- ; sured of a hearty welcome when ; they do arrive. The publication of : the names has added widely to the r interest "of the announcement. New^ ■ Zealand after all is a small couni try, and if you don't know a person s it is almost certain that you will I know some relations of the same ■ name. This has been the case with • the names of the Women's War ' Service Auxiliary. When the "N.Z. ' E.F. Times" reached units, groups l. of soldiers could be heard everyl where discussing the news. One • soldier would read out the names, ■ the others stopping him with a l shout whenever he came to one j they knew of.

These women need no other re? commendation than that <they--'al4 New Zealanders. There can be no doubt that their help will be appreciated in the New Zealand Forces Club. At the present time the men are served by natives, and, although these are willing, it. is often very hard to make them understand a simple request. The Forces Club has proved very popular wiUfcJfeiie South African troops and a\^ry friendly feeling has arisen between these boys and the New Zealanders. One Kiwi was heard to remark when he read the week's big news: "We'll show those Springboks something now!" <—