Female Auxiliary Service
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Female Auxiliary Service (SAF)
| image = File:SAF.svg
| image_size = 100
| caption = SAF Badge
| start_date = 18 April 1944
| dates = 1944 - 1945
| country = {{flagicon image|Flag of Italy.svg}} Italian Social Republic
| branch = {{flagicon image|War flag of the Italian Social Republic.svg}} National Republican Army
| type = Auxiliary
| size = 6,000
| garrison_label = Headquarters
| nickname =
| motto =
| march =
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
| ceremonial_chief =
| ceremonial_chief_label =
| commander1 = Piera Gatteschi Fondelli
| commander1_label =
}}
The Female Voluntary Corps for Auxiliary Services of the Republican Armed Forces (Italian: Corpo Femminile Volontario per i Servizi Ausiliari delle Forze Armate Repubblicane, better known as the Female Auxiliary Service (Italian: Servizio Ausiliario Femminile SAF ) was a women's corps of the armed forces of the Italian Social Republic, whose components, all voluntary, were commonly referred to as auxiliaries.
History
On 18 April 1944, the Female Auxiliary Service was established, under the command of fascist of the first hour Piera Gatteschi Fondelli. The auxiliaries initially provided only nursing assistance in military hospitals, work in offices and propaganda, and set up mobile refreshment places for the troops. In the space of twelve months 6,000 young women participate in six training courses, in Venice and Como; only then were they assigned to the Commands. After April 25, 1945 the Female Auxiliary Service was dissolved and Pavolini suggested destroying all documentation to avoid reprisals against members.[http://www.barbadillo.it/43721-storia-donne-in-divisa-ausiliarie-rsi-fanolla-gatteschi-fondelli/ "Storia. Donne in divisa: le ausiliarie Rsi dalla Fanolla al generale Piera Gatteschi Fondelli"]
Organisation
Only women from the ages of 18 to 45 were allowed to join the ranks of the Female Auxiliary Service. Salaries consisted of 700 Italian lire for higher ups and 350 lire for recruits. Any woman enrolled in this service was subject to military penal jurisdiction.Casamassima, Pino. Salò: i seicento giorni della Repubblica Sociale Italiana. Diarkos, 2023, pp. 194
The Auxiliary Service was split up under three different army corps:
- the silver foxes, a special service composed only of women tasked with espionage, often behind enemy lines in Allied-occupied Italy
- the Black Brigades
- the Decima Flottiglia MAS
The service itself was not allowed to be armed, but the women were trained in firearms combat nonetheless, and in the Black Brigades as well as in the Decima Flottiglia MAS members of the service took part in armed operations.
Ranks
{{main|Military ranks of the Italian Social Republic}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.controstoria.it/RSI/servizio_ausiliario_femminile.htm History of the RSI Female Auxiliary Service (in Italian)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091129125728/http://www.controstoria.it/RSI/servizio_ausiliario_femminile.htm |date=2009-11-29 }}
- [http://maquetland.com/v2/index.php?page=vision&id=836 RSI Armed Forces, including the Female Auxiliary Service (in Italian)]
{{Armed Forces of the Italian Social Republic}}
Category:All-female military units and formations
Category:Military units and formations of Italy in World War II
Category:Italian Army (pre-1946)
Category:Military units and formations established in 1943
Category:1944 establishments in Italy
Category:Italian Social Republic