The Army Hitler Forgot Will Carry On

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 266, 10 November 1945, Page 9

The Army Hitler Forgot Will Carry On

LONDON, Oct. 30: The Women’s Voluntary Services for civil defence is to stay. This decision has been made by the Government in recognition of the service the Women’s Voluntary Services rendered in any emergency during the war. Reference to civil defence is to be omitted from thq title. The local authorities are to be relieved of any expenses in connection with their local offices and expenditure incurred on activities authorised by Government Departments will be borne by the Exchequer. In future, where paid labour exists and a paid post is available the work will not be undertaken by the Women’s Voluntary Services.

This army of housewives was promoted in 1938. At the outbreak of war it was nearly 400,000 strong. At the end of the war membership was about 1,000,000. They worked as auxiliaries to the civil defence services; for 22 Government Departments including the Ministry of Health, the Board of Trade, the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Supply. In addition, they gave service to men and women of the Forces and Merchant Navy. Lady Reading, their chairman, said at a mass meeting at Leeds, earlier this year, that their work was not done when the war ended. “Ways and means of saving shipping, conserving raw materials, increasing salvage collections and war savings must still bo found and wo must continue to do without things,’’ she said. Asking for volunteers for work in military camps overseas, she continued. ‘‘This is not just an ordinary appeal I am making for the liberated countries. It is a humanitarian appeal. Give every bit of energy you have to the programme of help for these stricken countries. Knitted garments are needed to prevent the children from dying of cold. Knit till your fingers fall off. Don’t stop, because you may not be able to get wool for your own children. Say to yourself when you read of these stricken families ‘ there but for the Grace of God goes my family.’ ” With mobilisation for women younger members were called up. Undaunted, their mothers carried on tackling jobs which often meant working at night in danger and discomfort. They drove Queen’s messenger vans which were on tho spot immediately after air raids serving l\ot meals to victims. This entailed driving through the night to Coventry, Plymouth, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Canterbury. Meals were prepared in bombed streets amid a tangle of fire hose and piles of torn buildings. They served meals, too, in civil defence canteens, standing behind counters till late at night after a busy day and often during air raids. They ran British restaurants in many districts and delivered supplies daily. In country districts they organised a scheme for supplying sixpenny hot pies for dinner packs of agricultural workers and this has made £20,000 profit in two years for the Northamptonshire W.V.S. They used five vans daily and every village was visited at least once a week. The pie fund now invested in National Savings may be devoted to a clinic for mothers and babies. Another plan for the future is for residential clubs for pensioners and old people with reduced incomes. Negotiations are in progress to purchase houses in Southern England and Wales. So far, they havo &2000, presented by the people of Canada. The W.V.S. bring to their many and various tasks the vigour and enthusiasm and practical efficiency of tho good housewife. The tasks were such as might well tax their versatility. In the early days of air raids it was thought there might be a mass exodus of populations from towns as the raids began. The W.V.S. were instructed to organise rest shelters with hot food, first aid and a separate room for expectant mothers. Empty schools or church halls were promptly taken over, crockery was begged from local sources, Boy Scouts were to act as messengers and to serve hot drinks. Clothing bureaux were opened in towns and country districts to which the raid victims were evacuated. Members collected clothing from local residents, washed and mended and sorted it, and took over every, available premises. Unfortunate men, women and children who had perhaps travelled hundreds of miles in pyjamas and overcoat, or who had at any rate no change of clothing could obtain, free, a complete set of garments, including underclothes and shoes.

Not only were big jobs tackled with zeal and initiative but also wherever there was a need for help—a W.V.S. member cOuld be found to supply it. One member has darned 3600 pairs of soldiers’ socks. Others have taken charge without pay of N.A.A.F.I. Leave Clubs in Italy, France and Belgium. More are in India and S.E.A.C. branches have helped in the preparation of local R.A.T. surveys, produced toys for war nurseries, done laundry work for hospitals and collected walking sticks for injured airmen. They made and sold jam, bottled fruit and collected herbs and rose hips for vitamin syrup. No task has seemed too small or too tiresome for these unassuming and practical enthusiasts. Since last November the W.V.S. has undertaken many duties for schools, from help in kitchens to escorting children to swimming baths in order to relieve teachers of work which interfered with their teaching duties and •where no paid staff is available.

On the same basis, till permanent arrangements can be made, the W.V.S. has a programme before it. including recruitment of part time land workers, the provision of mobile libraries for services units, caring for the graves of American soldiers who died in this country, propaganda for diphtheria immunisation, collecting blackout cloth for liberated Europe, supplying home helps and assisting local authorities in housing surveys. The spirit, patience and practical efficiency with which these wonderful women, most of them no longer young, have tackled these often baffling problems in addition to running their houses and caring for their families—no light work even in times of peace—makes one confident i that while there is work to be done for their country or for any other country in need, tho W.V.S. can be depended upon to do their utmost with cheerfulness and good sense.