WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 190, 7 May 1919, Page 5

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Continued from Page 4) | WOMEN'S AIR SERVICE j In the course of an article in "League I Notes" (an English nursing journal) I an interesting account is given of the i work of the Women's Boyal Air Force, ' the latest comer of the women's serj vices. The W.Ii.A.F. began its career I on W.A:A.C. lines, rather than W.R.N.S., I and the rank of its' officers was designat- ! Ed by buttons and stripes unknown in j any of the services. The women doctors, however, before joining the force, obtained the right to wear the same badges of rank as the medical men in the force, and to sign themselves as holding honorary rank. In a few months the authorities recognised the importance of this, and changes in the constitution of the W.R.A.F. occurred. It was realised that badges of rank were necessary for the women officers which could be recognised at a glance by both the men and the women of the Air Force. Moreover, instead of W.R.A.F., ita designation was changed to Women of the Royal Air Force, and not an auxiliary body. The argument is plain. The Royal Air Force is not split up like the Army into regiments, etc., with distinctive badges, but as one self-contained force, of which | the women are part. The women offi- ' cers do not as yet hold commissions, but j they.are now authorised to wear the appropriate badge of rank already in use among the men, including the much-cov-etcd gold birds. The 6ctile of rank coinpares as follows with the Army:— ! Corresponding rank in R.A.F., Briga-dier-General; W.R.A.F. rank, Commnndant. Corresponding rank in R.A.F., Colonel; W.R.A.F. rank, Deputy-Commandant. \ Corresponding rank in H.A.F., Licuten-ant-Colonel; W.R.A.F.' rank, Assistant-ant-Commandant, Class I. Corresponding rank in R.A.F., Major; W.R.A.F. rank, Assistant-Commaudant, Class 11. v , Corresponding rank in R.A.F., Captain; W.R.A.F. rank. Administrator. Corresponding rank in R.A.F., Lieutenant; W.R.A.F. rank, Deputy-Administra-tor. Corresponding rank in R;A.F., SecondLieutenant; W.R.A.F, rank, AssistantAdministrator. The scale in the Royal Air Force Nursing Service is officially announced as follows"Honorary rank in the Royal Air Force will be granted as follows:— Matron-in-Cliief, Major; Matrons, Captains; Superintending Sisters, Captains; Sisters. Lieutenant's; Staff Nurses, Second Lieutenants." ,The pny offered compared very unfavourably with that which can be earned in civilian occupations, however; and many were the sacrifices of pay and position 'inado in order to join the force, both among the officers nnd the rank ?-nd .file. )In Lancashire there were numberless candidates for 'motor-cycle dispatch-riding, and one could not help admiring the way in which candidates gave up high ambitions of adventure when it was pointed out to them that skill in cooking and waiting was more useful to the country at that juncture. The members are divided into various categories—domestic, technical, motortransport. etc.

The officers are of four descriptions: H.Q. Staff, hostel administrators, supermtendents who look after the welfare of the members generally at their work, and .the quarter mistress branch, responsible for clothing and stoves. All officers had to go through a probationary officer's training course, averaging about three weeks. The course consisted of air force law and procedure in hygiene. • There were also physical exercises and Army fliill, At the close of the course examinations were held, and the successful candidates liecame assistant-administra-tors, a)1( j w( , re ( | ra f|; e( i ou j. i„j. o un ;f Si the pay began at ,£12(1 per annum, less ]«>s. per week deducted for board. A ftrnnt of .£2O was made towards uniform, •nit this did not nearly cover the cost. It is interesting to compare the scale ot nay laid down for an officer unskilled •md requiring training with that of the nurse 111 thelioya! Air Force Nursing Service who must "possess a certificate of not less than three y.ei.rs' training in a civil hospital, having no fewer than one hundred beds.' The nurse holds the honorary rank of second-lieutenant in the I.oyal Air Force; the officer is gradually graded as of corresponding rank to that of n seeoi.d lieutenant, find yet receives J>sy at the rate of ,£l2O per annum, while he nurse receives ..WO! It i 3 true there-are certain allowances, such as tlio inrses special grant of ,620 for agreeing to serve 'as long as required durin" the present emergency:" but even so, the difference is striking, nnd shows how , th ° aiithnrities realise what should he the status of the trained woman. The life of an officer in the W/R.A.F. is a very strenuous one, and full of interest to anyone who cares for her fellow-wo-men, and can make the comfort and wellwing of the members in her charge her nrst object.

The superintendents in workshops and camps are responsible for the members' '.eliaie, hut not for/ their actual work which is, much of.it of a highly tpchnical character, and therefore under skilled supervision. Not only do the women do the cooking nihl waiting in the officers' mess, hut they take a very largo part ill the actual making and repairing of ma- °!'° is a proccss in which tliey have not u share. (I Th ™?, lis ,! ice . k f, naturally affected the W.H.A-.1'.. in the same way as the other women's services. , Whilst ■it is never safe to prophesy, there sems every likelihood that the W.H.A.I;\ will' be a permanent force, although, perhaps, there will not he so large an establishment as at present.