Figure 1.--

The Home Secretary asked the widow of The Marquess of Reading to organize a voluntary organization to recruit women for civil defense work in the advent of war (1938). In contrast to the Women's Land Army, the Woman's VolunteervSrvice (WVS) would be a multiple service organization centered primarily in the cities. Lady Reading was one of the most redountable woan of the 21st century. Before accepting the task, she insisted that the Women's Voluteer Servive (WVS) would not be restricted to civil defense work. They would do 'whatever was needed' And other than the Merchnt Marine, the volunteers of the VMS are surely the least recognized heroes of World War II. Thus the VMS came into exustence in the wake of the Munich Crisis. And while it played an important role in civil defense, the VMS in many way became the bulwark of the British home front. Large numbers of women desiring to help with the war effort joined. Originally the WVS was involved in Civil Defence efforts, but as the War cintinued, WVS expanded its scope of work. The first big WVS effort was the evacuation of London and the big industrial cities (September 1939). The WVS volunteers asccompanied the children on the evacuation trains and busses. Thy were an imprtant partof the reason this enormjous undertaking went so smoothly. Other WVS volunteers at the destinations allocated and supervised billets for the children. The WVS was on hand with piping hot tea and sandwiches when BEF arrived home from Dunkirk. They helped find homes foer European refugees reaching Britain. They worked with the placement of evacuees and bombed out families when the Blitz began. The VMS operated clothing banks so that bombed out families could obtain need garments. They pursued many other projects. One of the best known was running canteens for soldiers at train stations and bases. It was the one of the most important functions was providing comfort to victims of the Blitz, both those in air raid shelters and those whose homes were shattered by the Blitz. We note a WVS volunteer with Queen Elizabeth after a Luftwaffe Blitz raid on London (1940). WVS was different than many women's war-time groups. It was not just composed of young women and included many married women. They organised sock knitting and glove knitting groups for soldiers. One of the WVS's most importnt tasks was to assist the casualties from air raids. As soon as the all clear signal went, the VMS would arrive in the bombed areas with their vans and carts. They would set up emergency shelter in buildings that had survived such bas church halls or primary schools for the families that had been bombed out. There the survivors could be issue needed ration cards so the people could obtain food and clothing. They supplied emergency issues of clothing as needed. They set up kitchens to feed the shatered families as well as the volunteers working in the area. Important visitors from America noted the role od womw=en in the home front and role played by the VMS.

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