Something different...MI5 employed Girl Guides rather than Boy Scouts
During the First World War Girl Guides were employed by MI5 as messengers within its office building. The initial plan had been to use Boy Scouts but they proved feckless and noisy and the Girl Guides were a more reliable alternative
In a sppech last night to Bristol University, the head of the Security Servive (MI5), Jonathan Evans, revealed the curious fact fact that during the First World War Girl Guides were employed by MI5 as messengers within its office building.
Flouting today's sexual discrimination laws, the initial plan had been to use Boy Scouts but they proved feckless and noisy and the Girl Guides were a more reliable alternative. The Guides were required to be "between the ages of 14 and 16... of good standing, quick, cheerful and willing". They were allotted marks each day by their patrol leaders and at the end of the month the patrol with most points was awarded a prize picture which was theirs to keep for the following month. Maybe today's financial regulators might consider this as an alternative to the "bonus culture".
