The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-05
''NameIess Women" French Auto Corps,
Has No Room In Ranks For 'SOfties"
~ ROsETTE HARGROYE

By MU6ELLB uhMANnONE
lNEA Service STAFF Correspondent
Paris-Imaeine q group Of eighty
women, including debutantes, we'll
known socialites and even the wife
of . prominent cabinet minister, all
engaged on active war service, yet
modestly maintaining an anonymity
that has earned them this collective
nickname:
THE Nameless Women"
You don't have to imagine it. It's
a fact. The group is a section of the
French Red Cross, consisting of
women volunteers who drive ambu-
lances, carrying emergency supplies
to evacuated civilians and medicine
and supplies to the troops at the
front.
Officially it is the ''Women's SAM
tary Automobile Section" usually
shortened to s. S. A. The popular
nickname "Nameless Women" de-
rives from the fact that no names
are ever allowed to appear in con-
nection with the activities Of the
group.
tits the only feminine auxiliary
recognized as an official unit by the
ministry of national defense.
SERVICE is
GRUELING
Enrolment is made very difficult.
There are strict conditions to fulfill
before an application is even consid-
cred. There are also number Of
innoculations, vaccinations and other
formalities to be complied with, but
enrolment is open to all nationalities
and the age limit is generous-18
to so.
There is every reason for the en-
forcement of the stringent enrolment
conditions. Volunteers have been
known to drive over one thousand
miles in 48 hours, carrying emer-
gency supplies to evacuated popu-
lations and comforts to the troops.
Up to date the unit has covered over
10000 miles, so it is easy to see there
is neither time nor energy to spare
for half-hearted or physically def
Gent workers.
The great objective of the Name
less Women's unit is to collect enough
funds to purchase more fefrigerating
cupboards and cases for the trans
port of human blood for TRANSMISSION
to the base hospitals. The cases can
contain about 20 pounds of packed
ice, sufficient to last the distance
from Paris to any point of the front
by fast car.
These, as we'll as the cupboards,
will be very much needed as soon
as fighting starts in real earnest.
A cupboard costs approximately
$1,000, an ambulance costs a little
less, and the cases can be had for
something like $50.
Recently, twelve brand new am
balances were drawn up, with their
teams of drivers in uniform, at the
entrance to the now deserted Long
champs race course. They were in
spected by General Weygand, who
presented a flag to four members OF
the unit, whose services, with two
amAulances, were offered to the Fin
nish government.
Ten Of the s. S. A. ambulances
by the way, were the gift of a gen.
erous American, Mrs. John r. Drexel
to whom the general expressed his
heartfelt thanks in person and on be-
half Of the French government.
HAVE SNAPPY
UNIFORMS
The Women's Sanitary Automobile
Section wears very effective uni
form. A military looking jacket with
long basque tops a skirt sufficiently
wide for scrambling into the high
seats Of a truck or ambulance.
On active service 1t Is khaki with
khaki shirt, but members of the unit
working in the Paris Office, as well
as the sadquarters staff, change
into az K blue uniform with white
shirt and gloves. All wear the
''Deanna Durbin" felt, in brown OF
navy, replaced by an overseas cap
when on active service.
A comfortable greatcoat, cut on
military lines is regulation, but fol-
all that, even uniform will not pre-
vent q Frenchwoman from adding
her own touch of individuality, if it's
only in the way she tits her cap.