BRITISH AMAZONS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20510, 28 May 1938, Page 13

BRITISH AMAZONS

ENLIST IN TERRITORIALS KEY JUBS IN WAR-TIME (Times Air Mail Service.) LONDON, May. 6. Tens of thousands of British girls will soon be enlisting in the Territorial Army, says the Daily Sketch. They will not fight, but key duties will be given them in time of war. A vast scheme for the enlistment of women's peace-time battalions for the first time in history will be the result of a conference at the War Office today, at which Major-General Sir John Brown, deputy director of the Territorial Army, will preside. Behind the Lines Work which the women will be trained to do includes: Driving light cars, running a network of field telephones and telegraphs, secret code work, and secretarial and clerical work behind the lines. Tests have indicated that women’s brains are better than men’s for certain specialised duties. 1 learned from a military expert yesterday. One of these tasks is the typing direct into secret code of messages dictated in plain English. Enlistment Soon It is expected that the full scheme will be rapidly drawn up and put into operation in a few weeks’ time, when age limits and requirements will be announced. Intensive training will be undergone by women who enlist, so that they will be ready to lake up their tasks instantly upon mobilisation. Anti-aircraft tasks will come their way. A complex system of field communications has already been worked out, and I understand that this will be almost entirely controlled by women in time of war, releasing men for full military duties. Drgss Problem High-speed distribution of warnings and flash messages simultaneously to all anti-aircraft centres from military headquarters will be a vital job for women in time of war. What will the war-girl wear? The War Office has not, as yet. laid down any rules. •• Probably khaki tunics and short ■ skirts.” a military expert told a reporter. - There is nol likely to be any rtarinK innovation or variation on the kin.l of thins worn by women who did non-combatant jobs in the last war.” Mr nick Busvine, famous designer of women's clothes, was asked for a ; few suggestions. Expert's Sugo est ' cns I “ The tunics worn in the last war were all wrong.” he said. ” Most unI suitable and uncomfortable lor women. I siureest a type of bolero coat with flannel shirt, so that the coat | could be discarded when necessary. I "As for make-up—well, nothing I th'nk. Tiler- wll nol endure the I sllinv nose, war o- .... war. If Ihey use make-tin at Wimbledon, they'll use it in war I ”