WOMEN AND THE WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23487, 26 October 1939, Page 3

WOMEN AND THE WAR

EMERGENCY WORK RUNNING OWN SERVICES ENLISTMENTS BY THOUSANDS [from our own correspondent] LONDON, Oct. 0 Men must fight and women must work in this anti-Nazi war, and there is no doubt that the women of Britain are doing their work with a will. Since the outbreak of hostilities thousands have offered themselves for some form of emergency service and they are being assimilated as rapidly as possible. The various depots and headquarters which were set going a year back have been besieged by a never-ending stream. So great hns been the rush that the Women's Employment Federation Emergency Register has moved its offices to Bedford College, .Regent's Park, whero there is moro space for a hard-pressed staff.

At the moment there is a demand for linguists with knowledgo of unusual languages, particularly those of Central Europe, the Scandinavian countries, Arabic and Dutch. The Central Register at Montagu House, Whitehall, is pleading for patience in those who want work at once, and also a cessation of the unceasing flow of inquiries. There are about 20 categories of professional and technical work, and while people in all these categories have been duly registered their absorption in the national machine may take some time. Assisting Evacuation The vast organisation of the Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence is gathering in many hundreds a day ol women seeking work in which they may bo speedily absorbed. Its Motor Transport Section enlists women ownerdrivers for special duties, such as acting as auxiliary ambulance drivers, and taking shock and "sitting-up" cases to their homes. They control the fire stations and send midwives, A.R.P. workers and others to places where they are wanted in an emergency. There are other forms of work waiting for skilled motor-drivers in ambulance service.

Constant calls for owner-drivers are arising out of the evacuation of young children; a number of mothers who did not wish their children under five to be evacuated changed their minds and a number of such children were taken to various parts of the country by owner-drivers as accommodation for them was arranged. Women's Land Army About 500 women of the Women's Land Army are to be given intensive training of four to five weeks in agricultural institutes which have been taken over by the Government. The main branch of the Land Army is at Balcombe Place, Balcombe, Sussex, where the full registers are kept. Every county has its local committee, with chairman and secretary. .Recruiting is going on apace. When trained the women will be sent where they are most required. The Women's Auxiliary Fire Service is also enlisting women telephonists and owner-drivers. Telephonists are the backbone of the service and special training is to be given at six training schools. A good deal of clerical work is done by the Auxiliary Fire Service, and the making of fire reports is part of the work. The spirit of the personnel already working was seen when the first early morning air raid warning came. They were all at their posts, and some of them had been sleeping in their stations on emergency beds, 011 stone floors and in garages. Tliey are a fine, intelligent body of women, drawn from all ranks. Red Cross and St. John Order

The British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John Ambulance Association are still absorbing an unlimited number of recruits for actual nursing, in spite of the large numbers they have enrolled. These are needed for the Civil Nursing Auxiliary Service.

The Women's Engineering Society is training supervisors in some forms of war work. They are also taking women who had experience in the last war and who have the gift of handling personnel.

Women are also offering their services to the Women's Auxiliary Air I'orce, which_ supervises drivers, telephonists, typists and messengers, and the Auxiliary Women's Territorials, who are required for similar kinds of work.