On This Day, 15 July 1918

Birmingham Daily Post

Monday 15 July 1918

WOMEN’S WAR SERVICES.

PROCESSION IN BIRMINGHAM.

The scope of the effort at present being made to secure a larger number of women war workers from Birmingham was considerably enlarged on Saturday, when an endeavour was made to appeal to a wider public through the medium of a procession in the principal streets. It is no longer necessary to call attention to the variety and importance of work which women are doing. That is generally recognised. What has to be realised, especially by those young women and girls who are still content to perform a few household or other light duties daily, is that they can and indeed are expected to make an effective contribution to the solution of the man-power problem by taking up work which will relieve men for the fighting forces. The principal means by which this can be done are by enlistment in the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps, enrollment in the Land Army, or by taking up work on munitions, whilst there is of course an ever urgent need for further help in hospital and Red Cross work. It was, therefore, natural that these branches of services should find chief place in Saturday’s review and procession.

The scene, in Victoria Square, where hundreds of women representing the various sections were drawn up in order to be reviewed by the Lady Mayoress, was an inspiring one. Smart and trim in their practical and business-like uniforms, the girls pride themselves upon their “soldierly” bearing, and this especially impressed the Lady Mayoress as she passed through the ranks. One other feature of the gathering was noteworthy – the diversity in the ages of those who are serving, ranging from young girls to elderly women, and the fact that they are apparently drawn from all classes of society.

In the inspection the Lady Mayoress was accompanied by the Earl of Dartmouth (Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire), Lady Bowater, Lady Dorothy Meynell, Miss Griffith Jones (Ministry of Labour), Mrs. Sutherland (commanding the W.V.R.), Colonel Hart, C.B., Colonel Halse, and others.

At the conclusion of the inspection the party mounted the platform in the centre of the Square, and Colonel Hart explained the various forms of work which women are doing, and made an appeal for recruits.

The Lady Mayoress paid a tribute to the services which women are already rendering, but urged those who could do more to come forward and help in one of the directions in which their work was greatly needed.

Lord Dartmouth pointed out that women were doing work of a kind which many persons a few years ago would not have believed possible. In fact, one bright spot in the present crisis was the way in which women were doing their best of pull the old country through. (Applause.) The point to be remembered was that a woman undertaking work on the land of with the Q.M.A.A.C. was releasing a man for active fighting service.

A procession was then formed and paraded the principal streets. In addition to a number of bands there was contingents of the Q.M.A.A.C., munition workers, W.V.R., A.S.C. drivers, the Land Army, and a large number of sisters, nurses, and V.A.D. workers. On a motor lorry there were several lathes, and the rear of the procession was brought up by a number of ambulances and trailers.

Lady Bowater presided in the afternoon at the re-opening of the War Services Exhibition at Messrs. Lewis’s, Corporation Street. She based her appeal for service upon the need for the women to help maintain the high traditions of the city.

The Earl of Dartmouth emphasised the fact that the old prejudice against women’s work had died away, and their assistance was being sought in every direction. That was a great testimony to what women could really do.

Lady Codrington appealed especially on behalf of the V.A.D., which urgently needed whole-time nurses and cooks.

Other speakers included Miss Julia Varley and the Rev. S. M. Berry.