SAWAS, noun

/ˈsɑːwəz/
Forms:
Also Sawas, S.A.W.A.S.
Origin:
Acronym formed on South African Women’s Auxiliary Services.
historical
A voluntary organization which attended to the welfare of military personnel during World War II, in particular arranging entertainment and private accommodation for those on leave; as plural, members of this organization. Also attributive.
1942 Star 1 Oct. 3There were nurses and members of the S.A.W.A.S.
1944 ‘Twede in Bevel’ Piet Kolonel 65Halts at stations..would see the platforms thronged with a..crowd, hurrying to buy coffee and buns and fruit, or..getting them free at the stalls of gallant S.A.W.A.S.
1945 S. De Wet Shifty in Italy 2I was wearing my S.A.W.A.S. uniform,..so of course she didn’t realise I wasn’t in one of the paid services and didn’t want promotion.
1945 S. De Wet Shifty in Italy 4We were to have free travel, accommodation and rations, but no pay. S.A.W.A.S. have never been paid.
1945 S. De Wet Shifty in Italy 5On Friday the Durban S.A.W.A.S. gave a party for us.
1945 S. De Wet Shifty in Italy 226Nine S.A.W.A.S. were sent up as our replacements, after the war was over.
1963 S.H. Skaife Naturalist Remembers 141My wife was in command of the Cape section of the South African Women’s Auxiliary Services, a voluntary organization affectionately known to the men as ‘Sawas’.
1979 Martin & Orpen S. Afr. at War 288The biggest uniformed women’s organization directly supporting the war effort, yet not actually part of the UDF, was SAWAS...Working voluntarily, without pay, SAWAS was running a variety of institutions.
1979 Martin & Orpen S. Afr. at War 289One of SAWAS’s most widespread schemes..was its hospitality scheme, under which its officers arranged private hospitality for servicemen on leave.
A voluntary organization which attended to the welfare of military personnel during World War II, in particular arranging entertainment and private accommodation for those on leave; as plural, members of this organization. Also attributive.
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satyagraha, nounn.sawubona, interjectionint. & nounn.
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