WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 99, 19 January 1918, Page 4

WOMAN'S WORLD.

MATTERS OF INTEREST FROM FAR AND NEAR

(BY Imoqes.)

WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS ENGLAND'S GREAT WAR EFFORT. News has been received of Miss Norah Dickson, a well known physical culture specialist in Sydney, who went to London about a year ago, states the "Sydney Sunday limes." She Has distinguished herself by being the first Australian girl chosen to occupy a position of command in the \\ omen s Auxiliary Army Corps. This corps was formed a few months a"o, the object being to organise- a body of women who would take the place of men working behind the line, and so release them for active service. Naturally, ono of the essentia qualifications for membership is sound health. Since she was accepted as a member and promoted to the rank of lieutenant, Miss Dickson has been busily engaged training her squad to become and remain physically lit. The following extracts from a recent letter . give some idea of the life she is loadin" under her new conditions:— "I told you about tho recruiting work I have been doing. Well, 1 have been at it again last week. Wo opened our recruiting hut in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday. I was chosen to talto charge of sistv girls ■ who formed a guard of honour to the hut from the road. It was our first big affair before tho public eye, and wc got praise from everybody. We marched down Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Piccadillv to tho Square behind the Guards' Band. Not one girl blinked an eyelid. At tho speech-making Sir Francis Lloyd, our chief, told tho crowd he wanted 1,000,000 women in this army before spring, and 1 really believe we will get them. "I was picked to take part in the procession on Friday, the famous Lord Mayor's Show. I felt it a privilege, although 1 had to work very hard all the week preparing for tho show. I had to. take the chosen one hundred out for route marches every day, and in their army boots they all felt it very hard work; but we were well repaid for our efforts, as the girls did wonderfully well on Friday. We had to walk for six hours with only a, break for lunch of half an hour. During the first part of the procession (before- lunch) we went all round the city proper, starting at the Guildhall. The roads were specially prepared for the affair, sprinkled with fine yellow gravel, and this made it easy to walk on, besides making it look very picturesque. Wo had a great reception everywhere. The land army was well represented, and had a big wagon of hay driven by tho girls and about fifty marching with rakes, pitchforks, etc. They looked very picturesque m their smocks, worn just to their knees, over their breeches, and their high boots. The way they managed the horses opened the eyes of many people. AVe looked .more business like than beautiful in our khaki greatcoats, but our outfit is generally admired. "I have been sent down to Folkestone to take over the drilling for a few weeks. Wo havo taken over the most gorgeous hotel here. It has 600 bedrooms, a huge ballroom, billiardrooms, and dining halls (seating 1000). Eventually we will have 1000 girls here; it is to be our overseas hostel. Wo expect 600 girls in on Tuesday, so am pretty busy arranging tho drill halls." One of the members of the W.A.A.C. working under Miss Dickson is Miss Molly David, daughter of Professor David. The majority of the members expect to be sent to France shortly to release for active service those men engaged in military work ' immediately behind the lines.