Women try to join the Army.
Apr 15, 2012 14:53:14 GMT
Post by shred on Apr 15, 2012 14:53:14 GMT
I recently found this article (copy attached) about Alice Hodgkinson from Salford who attempted to join the British Army in 1915.
GIRLS IN MALE ATTIRE
ANXIOUS TO FIGHT FOR ALLIES
Alice Hodgkinson, a good-looking girl, aged 24 years, was charged at Salford (England) Court with stealing a gentleman's outfit from
a house at Broughton. It was stated that Hodgkinson was employed as a servant at the house for a few days, and on December 20 she was missing. Her hair had been cut off and left behind, with a portion of her clothing, and a gentleman's suit was missing, together with a hat and a mackintosh. It was stated that the girl went to the recruiting headquarters at Palatine Buildings with the intention of enlisting, but then her courage failed her, and she did not get beyond the preliminary stages. She then walked to Lancaster, sleeping behind hedges and hayricks, and reached Lancaster in an exhausted condition. Here, to attract attention of the police, she broke a window, and she was handed over to the Salford police. The girl was remanded.
Mr. Dallas Welford sends to the "Stage" particulars of an escapade on the part of his sixteen-year-old daughter, Christine. She was discovered as a stowaway, dressed in 'boy's clothes, on board the White Star liner Megantic just before that boat sailed from Australia for Liverpool. Her excuse was that she wanted to go to England to join the Army with her brother, which so astonished the officials' that they let her go with a caution.
This brings to mind the remarkable life of Dorothy Lawrence who after being rejected by several British newspapers in her attempts to become a war correspondent dressed as a man and successfully joined the British Expeditionary Force Tunneling Company. Her true identity was only discovered after serving 10 days in France.
Dorothy Lawrence
GIRLS IN MALE ATTIRE
ANXIOUS TO FIGHT FOR ALLIES
Alice Hodgkinson, a good-looking girl, aged 24 years, was charged at Salford (England) Court with stealing a gentleman's outfit from
a house at Broughton. It was stated that Hodgkinson was employed as a servant at the house for a few days, and on December 20 she was missing. Her hair had been cut off and left behind, with a portion of her clothing, and a gentleman's suit was missing, together with a hat and a mackintosh. It was stated that the girl went to the recruiting headquarters at Palatine Buildings with the intention of enlisting, but then her courage failed her, and she did not get beyond the preliminary stages. She then walked to Lancaster, sleeping behind hedges and hayricks, and reached Lancaster in an exhausted condition. Here, to attract attention of the police, she broke a window, and she was handed over to the Salford police. The girl was remanded.
Mr. Dallas Welford sends to the "Stage" particulars of an escapade on the part of his sixteen-year-old daughter, Christine. She was discovered as a stowaway, dressed in 'boy's clothes, on board the White Star liner Megantic just before that boat sailed from Australia for Liverpool. Her excuse was that she wanted to go to England to join the Army with her brother, which so astonished the officials' that they let her go with a caution.
This brings to mind the remarkable life of Dorothy Lawrence who after being rejected by several British newspapers in her attempts to become a war correspondent dressed as a man and successfully joined the British Expeditionary Force Tunneling Company. Her true identity was only discovered after serving 10 days in France.
Dorothy Lawrence
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