Brave Girl Soldiers of the Switchboard - 1918

American Telephone Operators near the Front in France are Proud to Be in the Service. Approved by Committee on Public Information. The Telephone Review, September 1918. GGA Image ID # 19240635c1

Introduction

The unsung heroines of World War I, known as the "Brave Girl Soldiers of the Switchboard," played a critical role in ensuring effective communication on the front lines. These American telephone operators, recruited for their speed, talent, and bilingual skills, brought professionalism and dedication to their roles in the Army Signal Corps. Working under challenging and often dangerous conditions in France, they bridged communication gaps, connected critical calls, and demonstrated remarkable courage. Their contributions supported military operations and symbolized a shift in societal norms regarding women's roles in service and the workforce.

Central is helping win American victories overseas. She of the smiling voice has been aiding Gen. Pershing for months and has amazed all of France with the work of her agile fingers and the rapid relieving of her French.

While the men operators have been in front-line trenches and dugouts, the great wire exchanges are in the capable hands of young women from the United States. Their adaptability and quick learning have been a source of awe and inspiration.

They are the pick of those keen-witted maids of the switchboard upon whose quickness and dexterity the businessmen of New York, Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia depended for carrying on transactions in the hurry of commercial life.

Just as they once helped out the stock market and the wheat pit, these telephone operators are now promoting our military success. Their experience in handling high-pressure situations and their technical expertise in telecommunications have made them invaluable in our war efforts.

Long before the United States entered the war, a Telephone Reserve Corps was formed in this country. This corps, under the direction of Col. John J. Carry, chief engineer of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, was responsible for training and deploying telephone operators for military communications. Col. Carry, who is now in charge of wire communications with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, played a crucial role in this initiative.

The men volunteers were drilled as infantry and then put through intensive technical training for military work. Some of them went over with Gen. Pershing on the first ship, along with his staff. As soon as they landed, they started to work out a communication system, and they have been in the thick of fighting ever since.

Prove Themselves Brave Near Front

For places that were not directly exposed to gunfire, or at least were not supposed to be, the girl operators were sent by hundreds! Many of them have heard the roar of artillery and the whir of the [German] air bombers, but what does an American hello girl care for that?

Hardly a day passes, even in piping times of peace, but that we read of the telephone heroines. They stay at their posts in burning buildings; they spread the news to countryside villages and farms when dams burst and serve like good soldiers in perils that would daunt the stoutest hearts. These heroines are the female telephone operators who bravely serve in various challenging situations, often risking their lives to ensure communication lines remain open.

While the switchboard girl soldiers await their call on this side of the Atlantic, they undergo rigorous training in all the techniques they will need for emergency work, ensuring they are well-prepared for any situation.

They are then sent to the cantonments to work in central offices under military conditions, much like those they will find in France.

When they step aboard the transports, they travel from one large central office to another, operating wherever extraordinary difficulties exist.

They are soldiers just as much as the men in khaki on the firing line, and they wear a uniform with pride. You may have seen some of them in the streets before they sailed, dedicated to their duty and ready to serve.

Their skirts and blouses are dark navy blue; their hats, which are wide-brimmed and worn exactly straight, have the orange and white cord of the Signal Corps, to which they belong, and their brass buttons are duly marked for the U. S. A.

On the right sleeve of the first-class operators is a white brassard with a blue outline design of a telephone mouthpiece. The supervisor, who has the rating of a platoon sergeant, wears the same emblem with a wreath around it.

'Top,' the chief operator, has a wreath, a transmitter, and flashes of blue lightning shooting above it. 'Top' is always in charge of a unit, which may consist of thirty to fifty operators. As the chief operator, 'Top' is responsible for overseeing the operations of the unit, ensuring smooth communication, and managing the team of operators.

As messages from the front are transmitted in both English and French, no operator who was unfamiliar with both languages left here. They are required to pass from one tongue to the other "unconsciously," and some of them can also add a little Portuguese for good measure.

The official organ of our forces "over there," the Stars and Stripes, says of the first unit that arrived in France that the girls were equally at home with "Voulez-vous me donner le Capitaine Blanque" and "Lemme speak to Cap'n Blank, please."

They can answer, "Oui, mon Commandant, attendez un moment or "Yes, Major, just wait a minute,' please."

Miss Georgette Schar of Unit No. 3 wrote in a recent letter that although there are plenty of bombardments, a person gets used to them. It's the best thing in anticipation to practice hard on saying your numbers in French and to learn to talk rapidly to avoid being outdone by the barrages.

Life has its compensations for the daughters of the Hello over there because they are well cared for and excellently chaperoned. According to whether the switchboard soldier is an operator, supervisor, or chief operator, the Government pays salaries of $60, $72, and $120 a month.

In addition, there is a monthly allowance or commutation of $4 a day for the first thirty days in service or until the recruit leaves the United States, if before that limit.

After thirty days, the monthly allowances and pay are $30 for lodging, $24 for food, and $6 for light and heat. If the Government meets the living expenses, these allowances are not granted.

All necessary expenses are refunded, as the Government intends that their pay shall be 'free and clear above all costs.'

All Are 100 Percent American

The young women of the white brassard are resolute in their commitment to the war effort. They are 100 percent American, and those whose parents were foreign-born are as eager as the native stock to do their utmost for the cause of democracy.

All of them have given a ringing response to the question, "Why do you want to go to France?"

One young woman, timid and unassuming, rose quickly to her feet when asked that question and brought both fists down on the table in front of the astonished official.

One Young woman, timid and unassuming, rose quickly to her feet when asked that question and brought both fists down on the table in front of the astonished official. Her response was a testament to her unwavering bravery.

She was an Alsatian, and in the history of her people, there is a story of wrongs dating back half a century.

"To fight and win the war," some of the fair switchboard soldiers say when the question, "Why are you here!'' is asked of them.

In the first unit was a girl of English birth who had arrived from Australia via San Francisco. She laughed when someone asked her if she was not afraid of being so near the front.

She had been a passenger in eleven Zeppelin raids in England and twice through submarine danger "zones." What did she care? Her resilience in the face of danger was truly remarkable.

Many letters received at their home offices show what the girls of the Signal Corps are undergoing on the other side.

"Sometimes," whites Miss Laurene Pechin, lately of San Francisco and now of Paris, "we hear the cannon roar, for the dear enemy likes to bombard us with big Bertha by day and give us air raids at night. Neither of these does any good in the war game. They sometimes succeed in killing women and children and older men, but that is all.

"We object to the night attacks because they disturb our slumbers. The only reason they do it is to weaken our morale. The French and the Americans are too much alike for that and became determined to see things through. As our French friends say, 'On les aura," and we will have them.

"Our men are wonders, filling the breaches everywhere and preferring death to retreat. We feel sad when we see the ambulances filled with wounded, but also, we are mighty proud of our boys."

Filled Ambulances With Refugees

"Everyone is just fine, and I wish that you could hear the stories that we hear. A French woman told me with tears in her eyes how the 'chere Americains' had filled the ambulances and the autos with women and children to save them from the hands of the Germans who had invaded the city. Isn't that enough to make you proud of the boys?"

"What do you think?" to quote from a letter from Miss Grace D. Banker of New York, chief operator, "I am the proud possessor of a Boche helmet!

"Of course, if I could have had a hand in the owner's capture, I would be prouder. It was given to me by an Australian Captain who had carried it since Vimy Ridge.

"Do you know that I sometimes think that this world's many lands and peoples will not be half so far removed from one another after this war! Constant contact with the Allies' soldiers and their colonies makes one realize that there isn't such a great difference between us."

"You have no idea," another says, "how proud I am of being over here. When I think how little I know about people or work, I am surprised that I am here. My work before all!

"First of all, wonder of wonders, our commander in chief came to pay us an informal visit last Saturday. He stayed twenty or twenty-five minutes, and most of that time, I was pinching myself to see whether I was awake.

"He is the most wonderful man in every respect. He wasn't a bit distant or formal but shook hands with all of us and asked us individually what part of the States we came from, how we liked it, etc.

"He went all over the house, into every room, escorted by his staff, and it was a veritable procession, for we girls escorted them through.

"When they left, we all rushed to the windows. Then, all at once, everybody began to talk, and all through dinner and way into the evening, our house was truly as the Tower of Babel must have been."

Here is another glimpse of how a switchboard soldier may find recreation while off duty. It is from Miss Susanne Prevot of New York, who says that France is very much like the tales one reads of it in the old storybooks, with its centuries-old chateaux.

The following letter from one of the young people who say, "Number, please," conveys how life fares in the neighborhood of American headquarters in France.

"Beginning next week, we shall have to work all day and every day, but for now, some of us have either the afternoon or the morning off. We take long walks, as any exercise must be snatched at, seeing that we sit all day.

"If you were only here to see the beauty of it all with me! But you know this mountainous country and can appreciate it, too, for I know you are here in spirit.

"The air is just as pure as it can be, and the sky on a clear day is the bluest of blues. This section is so beautiful! I hope to stay here.

"This is the General Headquarters of the American Army, and every day, going to and from work, I pass the chateau where General Pershing resides. The house is ever guarded, and no one stands straighter or salutes with more snap than that sentinel.

"Our boys are just as fine as can be. I tell you, one must come over here to appreciate them. Our very bosom swells with pride, I can tell you. They are mighty glad to see us, too, and cannot do enough for us. We feel like one tremendous family. There is nothing finer, I think, than this feeling of the companionship of comrades. I am delighted I came because I never knew how many nice people there were." This sense of camaraderie and unity is what makes our service so rewarding.

Peek at Great Personages

"We are very excited," to slip out a bit from another letter from Miss Fresnel, "occasionally because of some great personage or other telephones, and the girl who puts the call through is very proud and excites the envy of the different operators. Sometimes, some great man comes into our office, and we sit up just as straight as possible and look strictly business. Still, it's tough not to turn around and get a little peep at him.

"Occasionally, we see men coming from the front. Then, too, we are right next to a base hospital, and the general nature of the traffic accordingly brings home to us what is going on.

"But what impresses me most is the horses. If you could see those wretched beasts! They are here to recuperate--just strings and strings led by French soldiers. Once, they must have been fine animals. They all seem to be young, but they are wrecks--absolute wrecks.

"That and occasional wounded being rushed to and from the hospital are the only things we see which bring home poignantly that a war is going on. Some days, too, when we have a day off and pass a railroad and see a troop train, we remember, but otherwise, we do our work, eat, and usually sleep.

"I hardly imagine, though, that we will always stay here. Some of us will be moved to other places in this section. Of course, we know not when nor where."

These are just a few words along the way from some of the young women who are at the switchboards at General Pershing's headquarters on lines of communication or in Paris.

Activities and Mentions Summary:

General Contributions:

• Female telephone operators ensured communication for General Pershing and supported American military operations in France.
• Known for their speed, adaptability, bilingual skills (English, French, and some Portuguese), and technical expertise.
• Worked in central offices under military conditions and wore Signal Corps uniforms with brassards denoting rank.

Col. John J. Carry:

• Directed the Telephone Reserve Corps and oversaw the training and deployment of telephone operators.
• Served as chief engineer of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company and managed wire communications for the American Expeditionary Forces in France.

Miss Georgette Schar [Schaerr?] (Unit No. 3):

• Experienced regular bombardments and adapted to war conditions.
• Wrote letters describing the challenges and rewards of her work, emphasizing the need to practice rapid French communication.

Miss Laurene Pechin:

• Based in Paris, she witnessed and described air raids, artillery fire, and the resilience of American and French troops.
• Shared pride in American soldiers' bravery and their efforts to rescue refugees.

Miss Grace D. Banker (Chief Operator):

• Proudly acquired a German helmet as a keepsake from an Australian captain.
• Reflected on the camaraderie and reduced distances between cultures through the war experience.
• Hosted a visit by the commander-in-chief, escorting him and his staff through their station.

Miss Susanne Prevot:

Shared vivid descriptions of the French countryside and its historical allure.
Highlighted her pride in working alongside American troops and described the unity and camaraderie among the personnel.

Other Notable Activities:

Female operators were exposed to artillery and air raids yet continued their duties with determination.
Maintained communication during emergencies and promoted morale by sharing stories of American heroism and international cooperation.
Notable experiences included seeing high-ranking officers, aiding refugees, and observing the aftermath of war on soldiers and animals.
These women embodied resilience and professionalism, making critical contributions to the war effort while breaking traditional barriers for women in military service.

Conclusion

The "Brave Girl Soldiers of the Switchboard" exemplify resilience, adaptability, and patriotism. Their invaluable service in maintaining communication amidst war chaos ensured the success of American military operations overseas. Beyond their technical contributions, these women challenged traditional gender roles. They paved the way for future generations of women in the military. Their legacy is a testament to the power of skill, determination, and the human spirit in overcoming adversity and achieving excellence.

John Walker Harrington, "Brave Girl Soldiers of the Swtchboard," in The New York Sun, Sunday, 29 September 1918, p. 11