More Info →Women's War Service Auxiliary Objective for 1942

WOMEN’S WAR SERVICE AUXILIARY
OBJECTIVE FOR 1942

Owing to the large numbers of women and girls registered with
the W.W.S.A. enlisting for service with the Forces etc., it is necessary
for the W.W.S.A. to make a renewed effort for further voluntary workers
to keep up the excellent work and training classes to requirements.

With the approach of the end of the school year, girls of 16 years
of age and over will be leaving school and the need for healthful and
purposeful use of leisure by young people is of great importance. It
is suggested that Committee members visit schools between now and the
closing date for the purpose of addressing girls on the activities of
the W.W.S.A. and encourage them to register and take advantage of train-
ing classes, drill & physical exercises. These classes should be
enlarged and made as attractive and informative as possible in order to
encourage the younger members to take an active interest in the many
phases of W.W.S.A. training facilities.

During the summer months it is quite convenient to have drill and
physical exercises about 7 to 8 p.m. and as the days draw shorter
Saturday afternoon and Sundays. First Aid classes should be encouraged.
The Physical Welfare Branch Instructors should be approached with a view
to forming classes and girls should be encouraged to join these classes.
Renewed interest should be created in signally classes – cooking and
laundry classes should be revived in order to train girls for the future.
Arrangements should be made for girls to attend the Technical Schools
as W.W.S.A. Units for the purpose of useful training in the many courses
taught and Committees should in every way make a concentrated drive to
encourage and help these girls of 16 years of age and over to fit them-
selves for future service.

PHYSICAL EXERCISES & DRILL. It is desired that every girl who is
physically able to take physical exercises and drill should do so. The
Physical Welfare Branch of the Internal Affairs Department and other
persons engaged in physical instruction work should be asked to co-
operate in providing instruction in physical exercises. It is suggested
that those among the registrants who have previously been training in
physical exercises should be picked out and formed into an Instructors’
group for the convenient training of other units. All possibility of
harmful effect must be carefully avoided and gradual progress made
towards more advanced exercises. The training should include physical
exercises and simple drill (formation marching and movements, folk
dancing etc.) Community singing and so on. The Military and Home Guard
should be approached with regard to the drill section. Saturday after-
noon meetings should be encouraged for all members.
FIRST AID: All members should be encouraged to obtain their First Aid
Certificates and also the W.W.S.A. Obstetrical Unit should be made known
to all members. This requires the holding of a First Aid Certificate,
Home Nursing Certificate and then 16 hours training in a Maternity
Hospital. Committees not having the particulars of this Unit should
apply to the Dominion Secretary.

Langley
SIGNALLING & HOME GARDENING GROUPS should be built up with the younger
members.

In the larger Cities and Provincial Towns no difficulty should be
experienced in make arrangements with the Technical Schools for girls
to be training in Shorthand-typewriting, clerical work, use of sewing
and power machines, cooking, laundry work etc., and if young members
are advised to take up this work as a W.W.S.A. Unit it will fit them
for any work that may be required of them in future.

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WOMEN’S LAND SERVICE: Every possible should be made to encourage
girls to join this service and small local meetings should be held
in order to make known the rules and conditions of service under
which this new Service operates.

Particularly in respect of the younger girls under 18 years
of age, the Auxiliary should be looked upon as a training ground for
those who may desire to enter the women’s auxiliaries in the Armed
Forces at a later date, and training courses should be modified or
intensified with this object in view. It is suggested that from
time to time it may be helpful to seek the further co-operation of
the Services by arranging for lectures, instruction courses or
practical demonstrations to be given to appropriate training units
by women who are already in the Services. These can, of course, be
arranged locally. In addition to keeping up interest in [---]
activities, such a course of action will undoubtedly encourage girls
to enter the Forces when they reach the age for enlistment.

[Committees] are earnestly requested to take the “Objective for 1942”
in hand and make a new and concentrated drive for these young
registrants immediately.

M. MALEMPRE

Dominion Secretary