FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE

JANUARY 1, 1940

TWO women novelists, Miss norah C. James and Miss Barbara Beauchamp, have resigned from the AfS [Army fire Service] in protest at the ‘fantastic position’ and ‘wasted efforts’ of the 5,000 women auxiliary firemen in london. one complaint is that although they volunteered as drivers, the women have done practically no driving since october, but have been expected to scrub floors and do cooking and washing-up.

JANUARY 1, 1946

one of the longest honours lists on record is published this morning. It fills 165 pages of the london Gazette and pays tribute to the architects of victory in the six years of war, from Mr Churchill to the editor of the ration book. Mr Churchill’s order of Merit is the only honour he would accept. It carries no precedence or rank with it, so he remains plain ‘Mister’.