WOMEN IN THE BRITISH ARMY

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 114, 10 November 1917, Page 3

WOMEN IN THE BRITISH ARMY

From British headquarters in France comes the. report that the feminine section-of : the British Army is growing larger day by day. .Khak"i-clad young women, at first confined .to" the Red Cross section of the field' army,; are rapidly pushing into many departments of army activity, displacing men, who in turn .are passed along to work nearer the frontline trenches.. ■ Every boat coming- from England brings new companies of women' workers. At first their work was mostly at the remote bases, bnt now they may be found working- farther and farther afield, sometimes within hearing distance of ohe guns. -In the clerical departments at the chief bases women have very largely displaced men. As chauffeurs they are being employed by hundreds,! not only on ambulances a.nd light supply wagons, but also on--heavy transport lorries, and with entire success. Six hundred young women carpenters are-at .work-building army huts: They have only six weeks of instruction and preparing in; England before crossing the Channel. ! ' Thn young women wear a neat uni-' form of regulation khaki, with short skirt and knickers, and a sleeve badge. Each girl has to know only one small part of the whole process of hut building; each day she repeats the same operation, whether it- be with saw, hammer, or plane, and then passes on the.work to ths next operative. The housing of the wo. men workers has been accomplished without particular difficulty. Some units are in huts, others billeted in hotels. Each unit has its; own supervisory officers and chaperons. While at work it is under command of young women lieutenant*, who act their, part as -smartly a* any British subaltern with the actual, fighting forces. , .