For some little time there had been rumblings of discontent at FANY HQ in London at the manner in which Grace relentlessly pursued her target of 'progression'.

Way back in 1914, her promise to the Belgian Surgeon-General that the FANY would provide a Convalescent Home by Christmas, was made on the spur of the moment. It made life very difficult for Mrs Morris, the dedicated and hardworking Secretary/Treasurer/ Storekeeper struggling to run HQ single-handedly.

At that time there was virtually no equipment and very little money available. Grace, realizing and accepting that the problem was of her making, embarked on her hectic and very successful fundraising blitz in Scotland and London, collecting enough in the way of both money and equipment to get St. Inglevert up and running very successfully.

In July 1915 a Rev William Cluff took over as Treasurer, relieving the pressure considerably on Mrs Morris. But in early 1916 she resigned, and Janette Lean became Secretary. As time went on, Cluff and Lean combined in an increasingly fierce opposition to Grace's way of doing things, which eventually became almost a personal vendetta.

Looked at from their viewpoint, their objections were, perhaps, understandable. Grace was headstrong and determined, time and again making decisions off her own bat, which closely involved Cluff and Lean at HQ in increasing worries about the ability of this purely voluntary organization to cope financially, and meet the obligations Grace so blithely committed them to.

On the other hand, Grace believed she was the only one capable of expanding the Corps, prepared to do all the footslogging, taking all the rebuffs, fighting to break through red tape and entrenched convictions. On two occasions she was away for months following illness and bereavement , first in 1915 and again in 1916. During both these periods of absence, everything stood still.

Grace had been solely responsible for the absolutely vital and indispensable help and support from the Belgian Army in those first weeks and months of the war, without which the FANY would have foundered. She alone pushed through Lamarck, their highly successful flagship enterprise, so well run by Franklin; then, later, other projects such as Oostkirke, St. Inglevert, Camp du Ruchard, the Dundee Hut, Fismes, and of course, Binson, agreed, not yet opened, but a ticking time bomb about to create mayhem in the ranks!

Both the English and French successes were won against long and dogged stonewalling by both these nations, refusing to accept the idea of using women in any capacity other than the idealized image of Florence Nightingale–type nurses.

Grace was also very largely responsible for the formation of the English Convoy, Unit 3, in 1916; wholly responsible for the large Belgian Convoy, Unit 5; and she had just broken through the French resistance and signed an agreement with their SSBM to take over Binson Priory Hospital. On every front, she led, the others followed. Unfortunately, essential as these projects were to the future of the Corps, the way in which she took them on, giving little or no thought to the costs involved, only informing HQ at the last moment when already committed, made life very difficult indeed for Cluff and Lean.

Sadly, instead of sitting down together and sorting out their differences before they escalated into disputes, the main protagonists became somewhat embittered, and much ill-feeling resulted. Faults lay on both sides.

Although during 1914 and 1915 there had been spasmodic upsurgence of annoyance and irritation with Grace from the HQ staff, by and large these subsided very quickly when the various schemes worked out and were successes, through the efforts of Grace and others involved. It was during the latter half of 1916, and into 1917, that trouble really began to brew, principally over the French hospital at Binson, although this was not the only gripe.

When Grace persuaded the Belgians that they needed a strong motorized Convoy in Calais, on the same lines as the English one, already proving its worth, the response was gratifying. Eight staff were transferred from elsewhere immediately to form the nucleus, but new girls were also required from England. Lean claimed that Grace requested that these new drivers should sign the contract in her name as Commandant of the new Corps de Transporte Militaire `Belge, FANY Unit 5, instead of the standard FANY enrolment form. Lean saw this as a 'gross infringement of FANY Rules & Regulations', and proof that Grace was Empire-building for herself. It is difficult to ascertain the true facts. It seems very unlikely that Grace would do this, but possible, as she was immensely proud of Unit 5, and always considered it her convoy.

Grace also came under attack, again from Lean, on her decision to send FANYs to work in a YMCA Centre Canteen at Brouck, too close to the Front Line. In fact, so incensed was Lean at this decision that she actually took the very serious step indeed – as far as is known, of her own accord - of writing to the YMCA to warn them, rightly or wrongly, that employing FANYs in a "Military Centre" was contrary to the Geneva Convention. That really does seem to have been carrying things too far, but is an indication of just how high feelings were running, Lean's at least.

In the event it had little effect. The two girls went up there, helped the YMCA out of an embarrassing hole and created a deal of goodwill. The FANY became known to increasing numbers of British troops for their efficiency and cheerfulness running this busy canteen, though not perhaps in their primary role of driving and nursing. However, it all helped. On one of her visits to Brouck in January 1917, Grace noted that "Coley and Lewis were busy and happy, their work a great success!"

It was Grace's breakthrough with the French that caused the greatest furore. It really got the chests heaving with indignation at HQ. She had casually agreed to staff and equip a 200 bed hospital without any reference to Headquarters, little idea of costs involved, or the amount of work entailed in setting up and running an enterprise as large and important as this.

She herself was delighted. She had broken down French resistance and expanded her Corps. The FANY were now directly supporting all three Allies, British, French and Belgian. Grace felt she was getting somewhere. That was what really mattered to her. Anything else was by the way, nothing that a bit of hard work wouldn't sort out. It had always happened that way before.

This bland acceptance of the French terms triggered off a veritable volcano of resentment. Verbal lava of recrimination and accusations flowed fiercely from Cluff and Lean at HQ. Once again Grace had left it very late indeed before informing Headquarters of what she had done and agreed.

It has to be said that this was typical of her rather high-handed disdain for Authority, and infuriating for Lean and Cluff, whose earlier strenuous efforts to get Grace to toe the line had apparently failed.

According to Grace, Lean 'bombarded' her with letters. Not only that, but she resorted to a previous dubious tactic, writing direct to the French Red Cross official in London, a Mr Illingsworth. In the letter she strongly opposed Grace's plan for taking over the running of Porte a Binson Hospital. The ploy had as little effect in this case, as had the letter to the YMCA about Brouck.

There came a time when Cluff and Lean felt that all the work they were doing was not appreciated – no doubt connected to their ongoing disputes with Grace. They both threatened to resign unless they got the support of all members of the Corps, especially the officers.

In a move calculated to improve their position, they produced a Paper as early as July 1916, calling it 'Suggestions for the Future Government of the FANY Corps.' In which they laid down various rules, basically aimed at controlling Grace's often impetuous ideas. Cluff was to have the power to refuse funding for any new scheme not approved by the Board of Officers, or at least the Treasurer and 2 other Officers, including at least one of the Senior Lieutenants. That last was put in, no doubt, to underline the point that the two, Franklin and Grace, ranked equally. That was really self-evident, but tends to support the hypothesis that Franklin resented Grace unintentionally usurping her position as Senior Officer, through her single-minded and successful efforts to expand the Corps.

As a corollary to this Paper, Franklin had written a short eulogy, praising the strenuous efforts of both Cluff and Lean, adding that from now on they would be made Honorary Lieutenants, in full control of Headquarters and Funds.

Both Franklin and Grace signed beneath, and peace reigned in the land. But only temporarily!

Some months later more conflict surfaced, with the Minutes of a Board Meeting in November indicating that Grace had threatened to fire Lean. A resolution was passed at that Meeting ruling that no Officer had the power to dismiss another on her own. There must be consultation with at least one other officer. It would appear that this, too, was directed against Grace, as was another passed at the same Meeting.

Aimed at putting the brakes on her solo activities in pursuit of 'progression', the timing of this, November 1916, points once again to Grace's Binson project. The Minute lays down that no new Unit could be formed unless it had been discussed and approved at Headquarters.

Grace ignored this, apparently, and continued with her preparations for launching Binson Hospital.

Apart from Cluff and Lean, others appear to have been dragged into the disagreement, particularly Franklin, Her part in it is perhaps a trifle enigmatic. All Grace's references to Franklin in her fairly extensive writings, were complimentary and supportive. Franklin herself left few records of that period, at least in the public domain, and her opinions expressed about Grace were sometimes ambiguous, and often directly critical. Never, as far as can be ascertained, directly to Grace herself, usually in letters to others.

For instance, in December 1916, Franklin wrote direct to Miss Lean "I am sincerely sorry to find that Mrs Mac (Grace) is taking up this impossible attitude." She then hedges her bets. "There is no question of any one of us wishing to crush any forward movement of the Corps, but as anything undertaken by any unit of it concerns all the others it is absolutely imperative that Headquarters be fully informed of any fresh responsibilities undertaken."

She continues, saying that there was plenty of time for them to have been given at least an outline of the scheme. This was with reference to taking on Binson Hospital. Then she adds, "I am writing to Mr Cluff and suggesting that he, as Chairman representing the Committee, should write and inform Mrs Mac that she must conform, or her unit must be considered no longer part of the FANY and no help appealed for it under that name."

Finally, and significantly, she writes "Joynson, Thompson and Wicks are quite of the same opinion." This last clearly indicates that she had been discussing Grace's conduct with at least three other FANYs, all junior in rank to Franklin and Grace. As Co-Commandant, even in a quasi-military unit such as the FANY, this is something she should really not have done, without speaking to Grace first. On the other hand, the FANY was a very independent bunch, and followed their own rules.

It would have been so much better for Franklin to have approached Grace herself, and talked the matter over as equals., but there is no mention of this from either of them. In her letter to Lean, Franklin makes the point "Why did not Mrs Mac put in even half an hour at the meeting to give us some idea of the scheme? No one wants to interfere with it, only to insure if possible its complete success. She cannot work everything herself therefore she must trust others to help her."

This was a sensible and reasonable stance to take, so why didn't she take it up with Grace, instead of writing to Lean or Cluff? She was a woman of great personal courage, so would not have been afraid of Grace. Could it have been an underlying irritation at the way in which Grace had usurped Franklin's originally dominant position? After all, she was senior to Grace in length of service; had been made Sgt. Major while Grace was still a Corporal; and Lieutenant while Grace was still Sergeant. But now, not only was Grace of equal rank, but calling all the shots and getting all the applause. That must have been supremely galling for someone like Franklin, quiet, self contained, supremely efficient.

In reply to Franklin's long letter, Lean wrote back a few days later, "Mr Cluff and I are quite determined that unless Mrs McDougall conforms to the rules of the Corps she will forfeit all right to the name, money, stores and personnel of the Corps." Strong words indeed, many of them very similar to those used by Franklin informing Lean of what she was going to suggest Mr Cluff should say to Grace.

Of course, Franklin would have been aware of her shortcomings in the field of expansion of the Corps. This was Grace's most outstanding contribution, her forte, and without it the FANY would almost certainly have faded away in the early months of the war.

On the other hand, Franklin's competent, capable and businesslike running of Lamarck, and the excellent relationship she built up with the British authorities in Calais, contributed very largely to their acceptance by them of the FANY English Convoy.

Writing in The Gazette in 1916 in Grace's absence, having negotiated a new Agreement with the Red Cross for FANY Unit 3, the English Convoy, she said, "This new Agreement is a rather great achievement when one remembers the old one – [negotiated by Grace] – and the very great monetary responsibility under which the Corps was placed."

Another dig at Grace in her absence? Or a perfectly reasonable statement of fact with a touch of hyperbole thrown in? Grace herself was no stranger to a bit of trumpet blowing. There is no doubt that she was facing a great deal of criticism, sometimes well-deserved, from both Lean and Treasurer Cluff.

Whatever Franklin's real objectives were in this internal struggle within the Corps, it never crossed Grace's mind, as far as her diaries at the time are concerned, that Franklin was involved against her. There is no doubt that she saw her main adversary as Janette Lean, backed up possibly a shade reluctantly at times, by Mr Cluff. In fact, in her memoirs she referred to Franklin as a 'life-long friend'.

The New Year brought an early renewal of the assault from HQ. A letter from Cluff arrived on January 5^th, threatening, as Grace wrote in her diary, 'to disavow me to the British, Belgian and French authorities.'

The battle was hotting up!