They worked assisting the War Hospital Supply Depots, that wonderful organization run by Miss MacCaul, they provided orderlies to serve the meals and act as housemaids, and make the men welcome at Peel House, one of the Canadian Clubs.  Others helped in Hospitals, washing up and doing other work.

Others met and moved wounded—­others at night took the soldiers to the Y.M.C.A. huts.  The Women’s Volunteer Reserve, too, seemed to be everywhere doing all sorts of useful, helpful things—­disciplined, ready, and trained.  The Women’s Legion led the way in providing cooks and waitresses for camps and sent out 1,200 of these inside a year.  The first convalescent camp to have all its cooking and serving done by women was managed—­admirably, too—­by the Women’s Legion, so the Waacs had many voluntary forerunners, who are mostly in it and amalgamated with it now.

The Waacs are a part of the Army organization—­are in His Majesty’s Forces and when a girl joins she is subject to army rules and regulations.  They are working now in large numbers in England and in France, at all the base towns, and in quiet places, where things that matter are planned and initiated.

The girl who goes to France knows she is going to possible danger by being handed, before she goes, her two identification discs.

For France, no woman under twenty or over forty is eligible.  After volunteering, they are chosen by Selection Boards and medically examined.  They receive a grant for their uniforms.  The workers wear a khaki coat-frock—­a very sensible garment—­brown shoes and soft hat and a great coat.  At the end of a year they get a L5 ($25) bonus on renewing their contracts, and they get a fortnight’s leave in a year.

Their payment is not high—­it works out about the same as a soldier’s when everything is paid—­and that, with us, is just over 25 cents a day, so the khaki girl, like the soldier, does not work for the money.

The whole organization is officered and directed by women.  Mrs. Chalmers Watson, M.D., C.B.E., is the Chief Controller, with Miss MacQueen as Assistant Chief Controller.  Under them are the Controllers—­Area, Recruiting, etc., and the officer in charge of a unit is called an Administrator, and under her are deputy administrators and assistant-administrators.  They are not given Military titles and do not hold commissions, but their appointments are gazetted in the ordinary way.  There is always a strong feeling in England that Military and Naval titles should be strictly reserved.

The equivalent of a sergeant is a “forewoman,” and there are quartermistresses in charge of stores.  Rank is shown as among the men, by badges, rose and fleur-de-lys.

Administrators are being trained in large numbers.  They have a short course of drilling, learn to fill up Army forms, make out pay sheets, how to requisition for rations, catering generally, and how to run a hostel.  They also attend practical lectures on hygiene and sanitation.  When this is done, they go to camp for a fortnight’s training under an administrator in actual charge of a Unit.  If they have not done well in this course, they are not appointed.