NATIONAL SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23340, 8 May 1939, Page 3

NATIONAL SERVICE

BRITISH WOMEN'S PART

large number enrolled

LAND. ARMY AND NAVAL CORPS

ffrom ocb own- correspondent] LONDON. .April t7

Womc.i are playing an important rt in Britain's national service plans. Already about 155.0(10 have enrolled in various organisations. The Auxiliary Territorial Servjce has signed up about 10 000 the Women's Voluntary Services about 127.000. the Nursing Auxiliary Service lias nearly 12,200, and t he Women's Land Army nearly GOOO. S oW it has been decided that the 'frrimen's Royal Naval Service, known Murine the war as the "Wrens," is to S revived. The King has given permission lor the formation of the corps, which will replace naval officers and ratings in wartime on certain duties fn nival shore establishments, iraining - for some of these duties is to be given dU Ramd Pe pr C ogress has been made with recanting for the Auxiliary Territorial 'cVrvirp which is now more than half- % toward its establishment ot 20,000. There is no falling-off in the speed of for the Women's VolunServices began on January 1, and tv Alarch 18 a total of 87,400 had been 'rolled, estimating on a basis of a 60 Sr cent return-of figures from oeal p ,froc Since then enrolment has been Si, "k. rate of 10.000 a week pl T hc total of 57.400 ivas composed of workers in air-raid precautions (46.6 ser cent), transport and ambulance 513) hospital service (16.2) and evacuation'(2B.9). Ambulance Drivers Wanted

It is estimated that about 40,000 vomen transport service workers will L wanted. The London County CounS will require 17,000. Statements of reeds from all over the country show that"most local authorities want about 50 per cent of their ambulance drivers fb ba women. ~ , , . The Marchioness of Reading, head of •the Women's Voluntary Services, has

praised the enthusiastic response of British nomen to the appeals for national service. "The importance of learning to do a job before an emergency arises is very great." she said. "I have been struck in going round the country by the considered response of women to the various appeals and by the awareness of women generally of the need to train in advance to fit themselves properly for the work they may have to take DP-" / Land Army Women who enrol in the Land Army must be ready to take up farm work as a full-time occupation in time of war. 'They are invited to join now, but it is not at present intended to arrange peace-time training courses. j In the event of war the Women s Land Army would he organised under the control of a women's branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Ladv Denman has agreed to become honorary director of this branch if the Deed arises. Women's committees will be set up in every county to assist in recruitment and in the placing of members on farms. The chairman of these committees have already been selected. The Women's Land Army is intended to be primarily a mobile force, consisting of women ready to undertake all kinds or farm work in any part of, the country. But women 'able only to offer their services for work in a particular district are also needed.

bers of the W.L.A. would be employed and paid by individual farmers. Some, however, might be organised into travelling parties, for hay and corn harvests, potato lifting and similar operations. * - The members would wear uniform, and the organisation would supervise their lodging arrangements and general welfare. Among the branches of work for which they will be needed are dairying. care of livestock and field work, Borne will he trained for tractor driving and care of farm machinery.

The Ministry of Agriculture says that in the event of war arrangements will be made for short courses of training at centres, or on approved farms, for women who need it before taking Up employment. -Leader o! the "Wrens"

The leader of the new "\\rens is now a married woman with three children, but slie is delighted that she is going to "join the Navy again." She is Mrs. Laugh to 11 Mathews. She served during the Great War as an officer of the Women's* Royal Naval Service, formed at the beginning of 1918 and demobilised in the autumn of 1919- She is one of the pioneers of the Sea Hanger branch of the Girl Guides movement and a divisional commissioner or Girl Guides. Though the Women's Hovftl Naval Service did not exceed a total strength °f 5000 during the war, it performed service of distinct value to the country during the concluding year of the war. {/"ties undertaken included much confidential clerical work, coding and decoding hook-keeping, storekewping, telephone operating, motor driving and Cooking and duties. Still more technical jobs undertaken those of electricians, map-makers, tireless telegraphists, mechanicians and the dunning of rifles and small arms. At the end of the war all but the Admiralty motor transport work, with {•lie exception of heaw lorries, was being done by "Wrens'." .Under the Humber Defence Coin®a"d many women were put on to Mechanic's work, cleaning and oiling * or Pedoes and making anti-submarine »ets. At the Battcrsea experimental Workshops they did drawings and trac8s for all kinds of new machines and Runs. A delicate work of adjusting gvro-com-Passes and the tricky work of priming Jlepth charges. Many of the shore wire'ess station had women operators who ®aga»ed on confidential coding and decoding, and seven of the outstanding Successes among the "Wrens" were on ari J day watches in the wireless • oms a t the Admiralty.