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adian Women's Auxiliary Corps, which acted merely as an auxiliary force 'with' but not 'within' the army. The British and Canadian commands strongly disliked any element of separation in command structure, regulations or status for any members of their forces, and within a few months the Canadian WAC was to follow the example of the RCAF. It is also interesting that the WRCNS, at this period undergoing its initial organization, never made any attempt to operate without full naval status.

Another fruitful field of study for Mrs Hobby was the record of difficulty suffered by the Allies during rapid mobilization. Shortages of housing, uniforms, proper medical facilities, and - above all - shortages of really well-trained and experiences women officers all had to be faced by the ATS and WAAF in the early part of the war, and were overcome with considerable success by 1942, by which time the importance of the women's contribution to the war effort was widely accepted within and outside the military.

The saga of the WAAC uniform is worth recounting in some detail, as an example of the kind of practical problems faced by Mrs Hobby. The initial strength of the Corps was some 12,000, and clothing this number appeared to be within the capability of the Quartermaster General, whose department 'anticipated so unusual difficulties'. This proved to be one of the most chronic miscalculations of that worthy body.

The Standardization Branch assumed responsibility for the WAAC uniforms under the guidance of a Col. Letcher O. Grice. Because of the distinctive nature of the uniform, requested in the legislative authorization, the colonel procured sketches from famous dress designers of the day. The designers suggested a uniform in two shades of blue. Grice went further: he agreed that the uniform should be different not only in design but also in color, and welcomed the ides of the two blues; these blues must not, however, bear any similarity to the blues currently worn by the Army Nurse Corps. The Standardization Branch was informed by the designers that the blue dyestuffs were available, and the alternative suggestion of a grey uniform was rejected on the grounds that grey was a difficult colour for matching.

The first discord to spoil this harmony was heard from the direction of Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Depot had not been informed of all the forward planning. Since research and development was the Depot's domain, they were not unnaturally annoyed that three months of discussions had progressed without their being invited to the party. Whether from pique of otherwise, their representative, who had no special knowledge of women's clothing requirements, declared that there should be 'nothing fancier for WAACs than for combat soldiers'. Director Hobby, who hoped that the WAACs would eventually become part of the US Army proper, added her weight to this argument, along the lines that the uniform should be as close as possible to that of the soldiers.

The blue-vs.-Olive Drab argument dragged on, until common sense prevailed and the Philadelphia Depot won the point. Since stocks of Olive Drab and khaki (in British terms, 'khaki drill') had already been acquired, further purchases of blue material would have been wastefully expensive. Stoc materials of covert and barathea for winter, and 8.2 khaki for summer were decided - although the latter subsequently proved too heavy for women's clothing.

The demand for a stylishly designed uniform was still on the table, so ideas were canvassed from famous designers such as Helen Cookman, Maria Krum, Mangone, Russell Patterson and Mary Sampson. A compromise was reached which perfectly exemplifies the way bureaucracies handle questions of taste. One or more of the salient features was taken from each of the designs, and a 'composite' was constructed from the bits! A collar came from one, a lapel from another, a pocket design from a third. Mangone had suggested that a belt would aid the appearance of the female figure. No, said the Quartermaster General, it would rub against the jacket and wear holes. A leather belt would be more attractive, said Maria Krum. Definitely not, said the QMG: if anything, the belt should be of cotton, which would be cheaper and would cause less friction. A pleated skirt was requested, but rejected in favour of a narrow six-gore skirt by the War Production Board, in line with restrictions on the use of material. Slacks were designed as