Women's Auxiliary Service (Poland)
| The Women's Auxiliary Service | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–1946 |
| Disbanded | March 1946 |
| Country | Poland |
| Branch | Army Navy Air Force |
| Size | ca. 4,000 volunteers |
| Part of | II Corps |
| Nickname(s) | Pestki |
| Decorations | Cross of Valor (9), Golden Cross of Merit (2), Silver Cross of Merit (74), Bronze Cross of Merit (154), Monte Cassino Commemorative Cross (950) |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Władysława Piechowska Bolesława Wysłouch 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:
- Women's Army Auxiliary Service (WAAS) (Pomocnicza Wojskowa Służba Kobiet, PWSK)
- Women's Air Force Auxiliary Service (WAFAS) (Pomocnicza Lotnicza Służba Kobiet, PLSK)
- Women's Naval Auxiliary Service (WNAS) (Pomocnicza Morska Służba Kobiet, PMSK)
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.