W.W.S.A. GROUP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1941, Page 3

W.W.S.A. GROUP

NEW ZEALAND GIRLS IN EGYPT. SOLDIERS AWAITING ARRIVAL. (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service). CAIRO, August 30. New Zealanders serving in the Middle East are always interested in hearing of the women’s war effort back home, but this interest has become much livelier with the announcement that 30 members of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary have been chosen to proceed overseas. The news that these girls were coming over to assist in the New Zealand Forces Club and similar institutions established for the welfare of the troops was published this week in the troops' newspaper, the “N.Z.E.F. Times,’’ together with the 30 names. From the brigadier to his batman all ranks read it with pleasure. Already there are many women serving in the Middle East, apart from the nursing sisters whose traditions of service have grown side by side with those of the Army. New Zealanders are by now quite accustomed to the sight of English A.T.S. girls and South African Women’s Auxiliary Army Service members. They may be pardoned for a feeling of pride in the fact that New Zealand’s own women will now stand side by side with those of other countries.

There is a wide field for’ women’s efforts on the home front, a fact to which New Zealand is wide awake, but the work women are doing in the Middle East has proved that there is ample scope here too. The South African and English girls are engaged mainly on clerical and transport work. Australia intends to be in the picture, too, and has a large contingent of women training for overseas service. Apart from war considerations, New Zealand’s soldiers, some of whom have been away from home for close on two years, are pleased at. the prospect of seeing New Zealand girls again. The 30 women chosen will be assured of a hearty welcome when they do arrive.

The publication of the names has added widely to the interest of the announcement. Now Zealand after all is a small country, and if you don’t know a person it is almost certain -that you will know some relations of the same name. This has been the case with the names of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary. When the “N.Z.E.F. Times” reached units, groups of soldiers could be heard everywhere discussing the news. One soldier would read out the names, the others stopping him with a shout whenever became to one they knew or knew of.

These women need no other recommendation than that they are New Zealanders. There can be no doubt that their help will be appreciated in the New Zealand -Forces Club. At the present time the men are served by natives, and, although these are willing, it is often very hard to make them understand a simple request. The Forces Club has proved very popular with the South African troops and a very friendly feeling has arisen between these boys and the New Zealanders. One Kiwi was heard to remark when he read the week’s big news: “We’ll show those Springboks something now!”