The Life of a WAAC

A recruiting film for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in Britain, 1918. The film uses actuality material backed by some acting. It begins with a WAAC recruiting march and inspection, before going on to show a girl noticing the advertisement placard for Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps (the official 1918 title of the WAAC) in Trafalgar Square. She picks up a leaflet from (Mrs Jackson at) the Ministry of Labour recruiting office. After joining she is given a uniform and along with other WAACs learns drill and physical training (in Hyde Park). At their camp (at Aldershot) the WAACs form up for roll-call each morning before setting off for work. The administrator (Miss Clay?) hands out tasks for each of them. Some, as cooks, peel potatoes, set tables and serve food to the soldiers. Others work as clerks. The forewoman, with her dog, poses for the camera. There is a pay parade. The girls, at their hut, wash and brush their hair. Parcels arrive. The girls, with much camera-consciousness , tend the vegetable garden. In the sick bay a nurse attends to those WAACs who are ill. The tennis courts are shown. The girls demonstrate folk dancing. They tend gardens outside their huts. One of the girls, in a comic routine, imitates Charlie Chaplin. Other girls sit in their huts, sewing or writing letters. A march by a recruiting band of soldiers leads WAACs through a town centre (Folkestone). The film ends with posters showing the need for more recruits, and irises out with a WAAC holding a Union Jack.

本片为1918年英国女子陆军辅助军团（Women's Army Auxiliary Corps，以下简称WAAC）的征兵宣传片。影片采用纪实素材搭配少量演绎内容制作，开篇呈现WAAC的征兵游行与检阅仪式，随后镜头转向一名女孩在特拉法加广场留意到玛丽王后陆军辅助军团（Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps，为WAAC1918年的官方正式称谓）的招新海报。她从（杰克逊女士负责的）劳工部征兵办公室领取了一份征兵宣传单。入伍后，她获发制式军装，并与其他WAAC成员一同在海德公园接受队列训练与体能锻炼。在奥尔德肖特营地，WAAC成员每日清晨列队点名后便出发前往各自岗位，行政主管（克莱尔女士？）为她们分配各项任务：部分成员担任炊事员，负责削土豆、布置餐桌并为士兵分发餐食；其余成员则从事文员工作。女工头携爱犬为镜头摆拍留念。影片呈现了薪饷点名仪式，女孩们在各自营房内洗漱、梳理头发，邮包陆续送达。女孩们颇具镜头表现力，悉心照料菜园；医务室中，护士照料患病的WAAC成员。镜头展现了网球场场景，女孩们表演民间舞蹈，并在营房外打理花园。一名女孩以喜剧表演模仿查理·卓别林，其余女孩则坐在营房内缝补衣物或书写家书。一支征兵军乐队带领WAAC成员穿过福克斯通镇中心街道。影片最终以呼吁扩大征兵规模的海报收尾，并以一名手持英国国旗（Union Jack）的WAAC成员的画面完成圆形渐隐。