Active 1941–1946 Branch Army Navy Air Force Nickname(s) Pestki Part of II Corps | Country Poland Size ca. 4,000 volunteers Disbanded March 1946 | |
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Decorations Cross of Valour (9), Cross of Merit (2, 154, ...) Notable commanders Władysława Piechowska, Zofia Leśniowska | ||
The Women's Auxiliary Service (WAS) (Polish: Pomocnicza Służba Kobiet (PSK), Pestki) was a unit of Polish Armed Forces during World War II established in 1941 by initiative of Lt. Gen. Władysław Anders, while creating Polish Armed Forces in the East.
Pestki worked as nurses, cooks, teachers in schools for war orphans, secretaries in staffs, pilots, drivers, etc. In active service there were around 4,000 volunteers in any time of World War II, but 1 July 1945, in time of highest abundance, there were 7,000 women in WAS.
In 1944 WAS was transferred to II Corps in Italy. In July 1944 Minister of National Defence reorganized WAS separating three new units:
The same bylaw established Headquarters of WAAS, Commandants of WAAS, WAFAS, WNAS and Superintendents to corps and armies' commands. Commissioned officers were appointed by the President of the Republic of Poland. Military ranks were also harmonized with ranks of Polish Armed Forces in the West.
First Superintendent of WAS was Władysława Piechowska, another was Zofia Leśniowska.
The WAS was disbanded in March 1946.