The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in France 1917-1921
Author: Samantha Philo-Gill
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military Books
The majority of history books relating the Great War concern themselves with male-dominated events and personalities so it was refreshing to be asked to review “The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in France 1917-1921”, a new history relating to an exclusively female organisation.
The author, Samantha Philo-Gill is an independent researcher, specialising in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, and her research shines through in this well-written and thorough book. Charting the history of the Corps, from inception to demobilisation, the book covers all aspects of the women's service, from early wrangling over uniforms through to memorials dedicated to the women who served.
The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was formed as a part of a strategy of using women to perform non-combatant roles following the heavy losses of the Somme campaign. Based on the principle that no woman would be employed unless they contributed to freeing men up for field roles, the Corps operated on a dilution principle; one or more women would be needed for each man substituted. By the end of the war, more than 56,000 women had served in the WAACS.
From the outset, the WAAC battled against perceptions; that women were not up to the job, that they would not cope with the rigours of life in France and, most damming, that they would be little more than camp followers sent to “serve” the soldiers. It was the latter perception that was to most colour the women's service to their country. The author covers these perceptions well and gives plenty of detail on the operational procedures put in place to protect the women's reputations.
The section on the formation of the Corps covers pay rates, questions of uniform (belts would be worn so that uniforms didn't look like maternity wear) and rank (military in style and insignia but not the same as the army). It is clear that the women leading the WAACs were strong-willed and clear in their goal that the new corps be as similar to the other armed forces and adeptly influenced men in positions of power to achieve this end.
Once formed, recruitment began in earnest and the initial teething problems inevitably occurred. It is as the women deploy to France that practicalities, such as accommodation and even the length of the uniform dresses in muddy environments are resolved.
Despite what seems like a successful and useful deployment, the issues of reputation continued to be, a largely unfounded, concern for all manner of people ranging from Queen Mary to soldiers in the field. Whilst it seems that some men in the rear echelon thought that the women were “brought out here to release men to their death,” and were understandably not supportive, there was a wide spread concern over the propriety of women in close proximity to men. It is strange to look back on these concerns and it makes the reader realise just how close to the Victorian era the Great War was.
The book leaves little doubt that the women made a real contribution to the war effort, detailing the varying roles undertaken by WAACS. Employed as clerks, signallers, intelligence staff (known as Hush WAACS), medical staff, printers and gardeners. It seems that, once doing a useful role, many of the criticisms receded; I wonder if this is because the men who had the biggest objection to the women were now gainfully employed on the front lines?
The book explores the dangers endured by the WAACS, including a limited number injuries and deaths caused by enemy action. After the war, the priority shifted to demobilising men to resume their peacetime roles, so WAACS continued to work in France to cover essential roles. Here Philo-Gill tackles the societal expectation that women, both in the armaments industry and the WAAC would resume their pre-war roles. However, it seems that many women, now used to regular pay for a job with well-defined hours, leave and purpose, were unwilling to resume their previous roles as domestic servants!
For me, the biggest endorsement of the WAACS was the substantial requirement for women requested by the American Expeditionary Force for rear echelon work. Perhaps as a less staid society, the thought of women in uniform was not such a leap for the Americans? It is notable that the French army had no equivalent, dismissing the WAACS as “Tommettes” or camp followers, despite their more acute manpower shortage.
Throughout the book's 204 pages, Philo-Gill's ability to tell a story shines through. A small selection of black and white photographs and illustrations are included and are genuinely helpful in illustrating points from the main text. Comprehensive notes and an index complete the package.
The story of the corps through inception, deployment, service and demobilisation is an engaging and enjoyable read, often citing primary sources. However, as well as a story, this is a serious bit of history and research, with thorough examinations of almost any aspect of the service you could imagine. Towards the end of the book, once the main thrust of the wartime service is complete, the final chapter becomes more of a catalogue of research covering memorials, literary references and art. These sections will be of less interest to the general reader, but they contribute to the completeness of the history.
For historians looking at the history of the WAAC, this is a comprehensive account, however, there is much here for the general reader who wants to understand more about the contribution of these adventurous and brave women during the Great War.
The author, Samantha Philo-Gill is an independent researcher, specialising in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, and her research shines through in this well-written and thorough book. Charting the history of the Corps, from inception to demobilisation, the book covers all aspects of the women's service, from early wrangling over uniforms through to memorials dedicated to the women who served.
The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was formed as a part of a strategy of using women to perform non-combatant roles following the heavy losses of the Somme campaign. Based on the principle that no woman would be employed unless they contributed to freeing men up for field roles, the Corps operated on a dilution principle; one or more women would be needed for each man substituted. By the end of the war, more than 56,000 women had served in the WAACS.
From the outset, the WAAC battled against perceptions; that women were not up to the job, that they would not cope with the rigours of life in France and, most damming, that they would be little more than camp followers sent to “serve” the soldiers. It was the latter perception that was to most colour the women's service to their country. The author covers these perceptions well and gives plenty of detail on the operational procedures put in place to protect the women's reputations.
The section on the formation of the Corps covers pay rates, questions of uniform (belts would be worn so that uniforms didn't look like maternity wear) and rank (military in style and insignia but not the same as the army). It is clear that the women leading the WAACs were strong-willed and clear in their goal that the new corps be as similar to the other armed forces and adeptly influenced men in positions of power to achieve this end.
Once formed, recruitment began in earnest and the initial teething problems inevitably occurred. It is as the women deploy to France that practicalities, such as accommodation and even the length of the uniform dresses in muddy environments are resolved.
Despite what seems like a successful and useful deployment, the issues of reputation continued to be, a largely unfounded, concern for all manner of people ranging from Queen Mary to soldiers in the field. Whilst it seems that some men in the rear echelon thought that the women were “brought out here to release men to their death,” and were understandably not supportive, there was a wide spread concern over the propriety of women in close proximity to men. It is strange to look back on these concerns and it makes the reader realise just how close to the Victorian era the Great War was.
The book leaves little doubt that the women made a real contribution to the war effort, detailing the varying roles undertaken by WAACS. Employed as clerks, signallers, intelligence staff (known as Hush WAACS), medical staff, printers and gardeners. It seems that, once doing a useful role, many of the criticisms receded; I wonder if this is because the men who had the biggest objection to the women were now gainfully employed on the front lines?
The book explores the dangers endured by the WAACS, including a limited number injuries and deaths caused by enemy action. After the war, the priority shifted to demobilising men to resume their peacetime roles, so WAACS continued to work in France to cover essential roles. Here Philo-Gill tackles the societal expectation that women, both in the armaments industry and the WAAC would resume their pre-war roles. However, it seems that many women, now used to regular pay for a job with well-defined hours, leave and purpose, were unwilling to resume their previous roles as domestic servants!
For me, the biggest endorsement of the WAACS was the substantial requirement for women requested by the American Expeditionary Force for rear echelon work. Perhaps as a less staid society, the thought of women in uniform was not such a leap for the Americans? It is notable that the French army had no equivalent, dismissing the WAACS as “Tommettes” or camp followers, despite their more acute manpower shortage.
Throughout the book's 204 pages, Philo-Gill's ability to tell a story shines through. A small selection of black and white photographs and illustrations are included and are genuinely helpful in illustrating points from the main text. Comprehensive notes and an index complete the package.
The story of the corps through inception, deployment, service and demobilisation is an engaging and enjoyable read, often citing primary sources. However, as well as a story, this is a serious bit of history and research, with thorough examinations of almost any aspect of the service you could imagine. Towards the end of the book, once the main thrust of the wartime service is complete, the final chapter becomes more of a catalogue of research covering memorials, literary references and art. These sections will be of less interest to the general reader, but they contribute to the completeness of the history.
For historians looking at the history of the WAAC, this is a comprehensive account, however, there is much here for the general reader who wants to understand more about the contribution of these adventurous and brave women during the Great War.
Reviewed by Chris Stevenson
Follow Chris on Twitter @WW1TheGreatWar
Follow Chris on Twitter @WW1TheGreatWar