▁n urs es ▁would ▁prove ▁totally ▁in ade qu ate ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁enorm ous ▁amount ▁of ▁work ▁which ▁might ▁be ▁expected , ▁and ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁she ▁proceeded ▁to ▁France ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁assist ants , ▁these ▁forming ▁the ▁nucle us ▁of ▁the ▁V AD ▁force . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁she ▁returned ▁to ▁England , ▁and ▁the ▁V AD ▁work ▁was ▁then ▁officially ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁a ▁department ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁organisation . ▁She ▁received ▁the ▁Royal ▁Red ▁Cross ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁and ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁D ame ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Although ▁she ▁considered ▁it ▁a ▁great ▁success ▁being ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Vol unt ary ▁A id ▁Det achment , ▁Fur se ▁was ▁unh appy ▁about ▁her ▁lack ▁of ▁power ▁to ▁introduce ▁re forms . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁she ▁and ▁several ▁of ▁her ▁senior ▁colle agues ▁res igned ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁dispute ▁over ▁the ▁living ▁conditions ▁of ▁the ▁V AD ▁volunte ers ▁and ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁ref us al ▁to ▁co - ordinate ▁with ▁the ▁Woman ' s ▁Army ▁group . ▁▁▁ ▁Fur se ▁was ▁immediately ▁offered ▁the ▁post ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Women ' s ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Service ▁( WR NS ), ▁this ▁was ▁equivalent ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁rear ▁adm iral . ▁The ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁to ▁rec ruit ▁women