THE BRISTOL CHANNEL DIVISION

DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR: MISS A. B. MACLENNAN.

It is just a small Division of the W.R.N.S. as regards numbers, but a busy one, for in the Bristol Channel are a good many ports of considerable size, and a larger volume of traffic passes through this Channel each year than through any other in the United Kingdom. Until the cessation of hostilities the demands for women to be employed in the various naval offices, thus releasing a considerable number of men for combatant duties, were steadily increasing.

The great majority of the women in this Division belong to the clerical category, a branch which comprising a very great variety of work. On the staff of the S.N.O., at the naval bases, in the Transport, D.A.M.S., and Shipping Intelligence Offices, the W.R.N.S. shorthand typists and clerks spend busy days.

In addition to their ordinary duties, certain shorthand-typists have been detailed to attend courts of inquiry, taking down verbatim reports of the proceedings, and doing the work to the entire satisfaction of the members of the court. Again, numbers of clerks, trained by men writers, are engaged in the keeping of stores ledgers, and accounts - duties which call for minute care and attention to detail - and in which the women have been commended for excellent service.

Instances of initiative and special ability shown by women of the W.R.N.S. in emergencies and under trying circumstances are numerous, and it is gratifying to receive accounts of cases where matters of responsibility have been willingly undertaken and capably handled.

 The following extract from a letter from a Naval officer, written on the closing of a base, is quoted apropos:-

 "Placed under the Engineer Officer at first as his Typist, this rating did her work thoroughly and entirely satisfactorily. Some little time afterwards, the male civilian stores ledger clerk left, and this work (which had taken him all his time) was transferred to the Shorthand Typist employed with the Engineer Officer. Thus she was obliged to do the work which had previously taken two people to do and a word of special praise is due to her. She was in charge of the Engineer and Stores Offices, dealt with the whole of the correspondence of these two Offices, kept all stores ledgers and accounts for all stores other than Ordnance Stores. She was a decided success, and as was stated by the Engineer Officer, she was a veritable `trump.' I am entirely of the same opinion. Under very difficult circumstances, she performed excellent work, remaining on duty for weeks on end until 11 p.m. It is surprising that her health stood the strain,' the thanks of the S.N.O., the engineer Officer and myself to this member, I can assure you are most sincere."

Messengers, too, have done useful work in replacing men. Besides answering bells and running messages, they habitually act as relief telephonists and assist in the general office routine.

Another branch of work which is now largely or entirely in the hands of women is the operating of telephone switchboards. They work in shifts both night and day, having a typical exchange size or more branch lines, and as many as fifty extensions. This is a section of the work which is found interesting by the women, and at which they do well.

 Most of the naval cars are driven by W.R.N.S. drivers, who take full charge, washing them and doing all running repairs. Naval officers have expressed the opinion that the substitution of women in this capacity - contrary to the expectations of some - has in practice been entirely satisfactory, even with very heavy types of cars - the women proving to be careful and conscientious drivers, and standing the irregular and frequently long and late hours cheerfully and well.

Until the middle of November the air stations at Milton and Goodwick, Pem., were staffed with women of the W.R.N.S. in all domestic branches, keeping the officers' cabins and doing all cooking and waiting for the Officers' Mess. There were also a large number of technical workers and women engaged in cleaning and helping to repair the planes.  

 Since the women of these stations transferred to the W.R.A.F. four months ago - the only members of the technical branch have been armament workers at one naval base, whose duties consisted principally of the care and overhauling of depth charges. They gave satisfaction in all that was required of them, and under the supervision of a specially trained petty officer were speedily acquiring valuable experience and increased skill.

 As regards the W.R.N.S. officers, there were at one time ten in this Division - administrative officers responsible for the welfare and discipline of the women in their charge, and non-administrative officers replacing or helping naval officers. Some of the latter are engaged on coding and de-coding. At first they did day work only; afterwards they were employed on night work, relieving each other in shifts of eight or nine hours each, though in some instances the hours were much longer. Other non-administrative officers have been engaged on a variety of important and confidential secretarial duties, in which they have earned warm commendation for the keenness and quickness with which they have familiarised themselves with the work, and the conscientiousness with which it has been carried out.

 The Divisional Headquarters at Cardiff is situated in a bright and cheerful office consisting of two rooms, of which its staff are justly proud - so clean and fresh are its green walls, so capacious its cupboards and shelves for the accommodation of neatly catalogued piles of forms, dockets, and stationery, and so peaceful the view from its broad windows - a canal down which barges make their unhurried way, and a patch of prosperous allotments where giant marrows and prize cabbages flourish in their season. No surroundings could be a better ally to methodical and efficient work. And in all activities the Divisional Director has been ably supported by the excellent work and untiring enthusiasm of her staff.

 To this office belongs the responsibility of finding the right woman for the right place, the mobiles by the more simple process of applying to headquarters, the 'immobiles' by careful selection from local candidates, and, in the days before recruiting ceased, there were many anxious enquirers for posts which exist - and which do not exist - in the W.R.N.S. Here too come all questions dealing with uniform, discipline and welfare.

A detailed account of the work of the Divisional Office would be too long to enter into, but it has been the earnest endeavour of the officers in charge to arouse among the women a true spirit of esprit de corps, the realisation that they are a part of a larger and united organisation all working to the same purpose, and to pass on by every means available those ideals of loyalty to noble traditions, and adherence to high standards of work and of womanhood, which are the foundations of the Service to which we belong.

A. B. MACLENNAN.