Leave Club Workers

Leave Club Workers

Remembering the lives of people who worked in "Leave Clubs". Early in 1917, when the Australians and Canadians visited Paris on leave in very large numbers, Miss Lily Butler opened a "Corner of Blighty", the pioneer leave club in Paris, to help them to spend their time as pleasantly and profitably as possible. Everything was given free of charge, and a staff of 45 voluntary women workers entertained 44,000 men in the first 10 months of the 2 years for which the club was open. Six months later the British Army and Navy Leave Club was opened and was the pioneer residential club in Paris for soldiers and sailors on leave. Baron D'Erlanger lent the house, and Miss Decima Moore and the Rev. A. S. V. Blunt were hon. secretaries. In the two years that it was open 59,102 men were registered and 701,546 meals were served. A body of uniformed Women Guides looked after the comfort of the men, and free entertainments on a large scale were organised. As a result of the success of this club, the British Empire Leave Club at Cologne was originated and organised on the same lines by Miss Decima Moore, Hon. Director-General, who raised the funds with a London Committee under Baron D'Erlanger as chairman. Each department was conducted by a voluntary woman worker drawn from one of the approved women's war organisations, who wore the uniform of her society, and did her last piece of war-work for the British in an officially recognised institution opened at the invitation of the army.

Created by: , Yvonne27542

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  • Born 1880

    Died 1921

    Other Empire Force British Empire Leave Club

    Other Empire Force Civilian Clerk Intelligence Branch, British G.H.Q.

  • Profile picture for Lily Isabella Butler

    Born 1868

    Died 1942

    Other Empire Force Organiser Leave Clubs "A Corner of Blighty" leave club in Paris

  • British Army British Army and Navy Leave Club Paris

  • Profile picture for Decima Moore

    Born 1871

    Died 1964

    Other Empire Force Honorary Director-General British Empire Leave Club