It was founded on 7 November 1940 as the Female Corps (French: Corps féminin, CF) and was inspired by the precedent of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and was the first female unit in the military history of France.

It was initially commanded by Simonne Mathieu and later by Hélène Terré.

Initially only 26-strong, the CF was intended to provide personnel to serve in clerical and secretarial functions that would enable male personnel to be dispatched to front-line units.

The CF was renamed on 16 November 1941 and formally integrated into the Free French Forces.

[1] It was disbanded in May 1944 at the start of the Liberation of France and was superseded by the Arme féminine the following month.