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women and War.
Apart from the corps of women territorials attached to the
three fighting services, a large body of women has already been en-
rolled for passive defence in case of war. Besides the Headquarters
of the Women's Voluntary 3ervice in London, there are 800 branches
of the service in British towns and villages.
The work of the women engaged in passive defence schemes can
be subdivided into four categories: air raid precautions, which
have so far absorbed about 41 per cent of the recruits; hospital
services, with 20 per cent; evacuation schemes, with 51 per cent;
and transport, which is linked on to all the other schemes, takes
the remainder.
A woman who joins this service will be drafted to one of these
categories according to her previous experience or her particular
preference, and given the necessary training for the duties she may
be called upon to perform. Ambulance drivers, for example, rust
learn to drive while wearing a service respirator, and also to
drive at night under black-out conditions.
They must also have
sufficient training in nursing and medical care to be of assistance
to the medical corps in treating victims of air attacks.
For training in the Hospital Services women between the ages of
They are trained in the principles of First
18 and 55 are eligible.
id and in Home llursing, and arc then given practical experience in a local hospital. They will thus be in a position to release
highly skilled nurses, for more difficult and delicate work.
The women who have enrolled for the evacuation schemes will
have to escort four million children, invalids, and aged persons
from the danger zones to country places where plans have been made
for the reception, housing, and feeding of these helpless war
victims.