WOMEN OF ENGLAND

Evening Star, Issue 23379, 23 September 1939, Page 20

WOMEN OF ENGLAND

ready to play their part ih war “In asking for women’s services wo aro not asking for an easy sift from them. They may be risking their lives, but Englishwomen in the past have never been frightened of dangers, nor have thev hesitated to lay down their lives. Women of to-day are just as courageous and as willing as their forbears to pay for the privilege of being English.” The Dowager Marchioness of Heading, chairman of the AVomon’s Voluntary Services for Civil Defence in England and Scotland, made this statement in February of this vear states the ‘Dominion’). The women of England are facing to-day a situation for which they began to prepare more than 12 months ago, when, profiting from the lessons learned in the last war, it was realised that whether the need came or not it was essential “to be prepared.” To-day there is a force of trained, discipliried\woraen throughout the country prepared to stand by in any emergency, to help in whatever field they may bo needed, not only to release man-power, but to assist man-power. And the important thing to remember is that this has all been achieved on a voluntary basis. There has been no compulsion, beyond that enforced by the women on themselves. The field of AVomen’s Voluntary Services, which from its inception has been under the direction of the Dowager Marchioness of Heading, covers a host of civil services, such as in connection with air raid precautions, evacuation services, billeting, institutional care, nursing, first aid, and the multiplicity of services which can be supplied by car owners in association with hospital and other work. UNDER WAR OFFICE, Outside of this sphere are the military organisations, of which the most important is the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Services, which were created mainly as the result of the September crisis of last year, but which the AVar Office already had under consideration with the object of having a corps of women fully trained in certain spheres of army duties, which they could take over in war time. This organisation, was the first women’s group to bo incorporated in His

Majesty’s forces in peace time. Today they are working under war time conditions. They include motor drivers, clerks, cooks, storekeepers, and orderlies. The women in this service, which was established in September last, could enrol either for general service when they might be sent overseas, or for local service. The age limit for the former was 18 to 43 years, and for the latter 18 to SO years. Two already existing organisations have been incorporated _ into the W.A.T.S. One of these is the old First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, which is the only women’s corps under War Office control which has continued regular training since 1918, and which during the last war was known to the soldiers as the “ Fannies.” Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, is president of this organisation. The other body is the Women’s Legion, which embraces the womenfolk of men who fought in the last war and who since then have worked for the families of

those men and have given most valuable service to the nation. An opportunity for mechanicallyminded women has been provided by the Women’s Mechanised Transport Training Corps, for which only the most competent drivers have been accepted. Then there is the Auxiliary Fire Service, in which women can help as drivers, clerical workers and watchroom workers for local fire stations, the Women’s Land Army, whose work m the last war was so invaluable to the country, and the voluntary ambulance division of the River Emergency Service, formed for the purpose of providing rescue and ambulance facilities on the Thames in time of war. IN THE AIR. And now we come to the story of women in the air. which i's one of the most amazing of all, and is epitomised in the fact that one of the five com-

missioners of the Civil Air Guard appointed in England in August of last .year is a woman, Mrs F. G. Miles, who is joint managing director with her husband of an important aircraft factory which supplies aeroplanes to the British Government. The women’s Auxiliary Air Force and the Civil Air Guard have made a special appeal to women of a mechanical turn. of mind and with strong nerves. An interesting organisation which was established about 18 months ago by the Romford Flying Club is the National Women s Air Reserve, which consists of a corps of women, 250 strong, fully trained to meet urgent war needs in all branches of flying including training for the Air Ministry's ground engineer’s and wireless operator’s licenses, both of which were former! v granted almost exclusively to men. In this connection it is interesting to note that a proud possession of the N.W.A.R. is the aeroplane in which Joan Batten made her record flight fo Australia and back. It

was bought with money subscribed by members. _• : And now let us look back. English women were granted the suffrage in 1918. In 1919 the British Parliament passed the Sex Qualification (Removal) Act, which includes the clause; “ A person shall not be disqualified by' sex or marriage from the’ exercise of, any public function or from being appointed to or holding any civil or judicial office or post, or from entering or assuming or carrying on any profession or vocation. ... The passing of that Act, which must inevitably be ascribed to recognition of the place that women had won for themselves through the years of ~"ar service, opened, to them a door through which in peace time they have passed to posts of honour and distinction. During the past months of stress and strain they have continued to pass through that door prepared to serve their country to their best ability in time of war.