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WRAF
The Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) was the women's branch of the Royal Air Force. It existed in two separate incarnations: the Women's Royal Air Force from 1918 to 1920 and the Women's Royal Air Force from 1949 to 1994. On 1 February 1949, the name of the First World War organisation was revived when the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, which had been founded in 1939, was re-established on a regular footing as the Women's Royal Air Force. The WRAF and the RAF grew closer over the following decades, with increasing numbers of trades opened to women, and the two services formally merged in 1994, marking the full assimilation of women into the British forces and the end of the Women's Royal Air Force. The Central Band of the WRAF, one of only two all-female bands in the British Armed Forces, was disbanded in 1972. Some of its musicians transferred to the Band of the Women's Royal Army Corps. Strength The target strength had been a force of around 90,000, figures are unreliable ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
WRAF Working On A De Havilland 9A
The Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) was the women's branch of the Royal Air Force. It existed in two separate incarnations: the Women's Royal Air Force from 1918 to 1920 and the Women's Royal Air Force from 1949 to 1994. On 1 February 1949, the name of the First World War organisation was revived when the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, which had been founded in 1939, was re-established on a regular footing as the Women's Royal Air Force. The WRAF and the RAF grew closer over the following decades, with increasing numbers of trades opened to women, and the two services formally merged in 1994, marking the full assimilation of women into the British forces and the end of the Women's Royal Air Force. The Central Band of the WRAF, one of only two all-female bands in the British Armed Forces, was disbanded in 1972. Some of its musicians transferred to the Band of the Women's Royal Army Corps. Strength The target strength had been a force of around 90,000, figures are unreliable ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Violet Douglas-Pennant
Commandant Violet Blanche Douglas-Pennant (31 January 1869 – 12 October 1945) was a British philanthropist and supporter of local government who served as the second commandant of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) until her dismissal in August 1918. Born into the aristocracy, Douglas-Pennant became interested in youth clubs for girls which led her to charity work with the unemployed and with disabled children. Working with the Workers' Educational Association led her to become involved in the establishment and reform of local government, and she eventually became a member of the London County Council Education Committee. After the establishment of the WRAF in 1918 she was suggested as a potential Commandant due to her experience in reform and management. She agreed to spend a month "looking round" the camp, and was so unhappy that she repeatedly tried to resign. Following her dismissal on 28 August 1918 by Lord Weir she wrote to several important political figures such as Win ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Women's Royal Air Force (World War I)
The Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) was the women's branch of the Royal Air Force, existing from 1 April 1918 until 1 April 1920, when it was disbanded. Its original intent was to provide female mechanics in order to free up men for front line service in World War I. However, the organisation saw high enrolment, with women also serving in a number of other non-combatant roles, including drivers, caterers, clerks and tailors, as well as filling other wartime needs. Its last veteran was for a time thought to be Gladys Powers, who died in 2008, but Florence Green, who died in February 2012, was subsequently found to be the last-known surviving WRAF veteran. The name was revived in 1949 for the regular women's branch of the RAF. The auxiliary organisation in the Second World War had been called the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Strength The target strength had been a force of around 90,000. Figures are unreliable until 1 August 1918, when the strength was 15,433, approximately 5,000 re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helen Renton
Air Commodore Helen Ferguson Renton, (13 March 1931 – 2 June 2016) was a Scottish Royal Air Force officer. From 1980 to 1986, she served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force. Early life and education Renton was born on 13 March 1931Though ''The Independent'' for many yeargave 31 Marchas her birthday. in Denny, Falkirk, Scotland, to John Paul Renton and Sarah Graham Renton (''née'' Cook). She was educated at Stirling High School, a state high school in Stirling. She studied at the University of Glasgow, graduating with an undergraduate Master of Arts degree (MA Hons). She remained at Glasgow to undertake one year of postgraduate business studies. Military career Renton joined the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) in 1954, and then underwent two months of officer training. On 9 June 1955, she was commissioned into the Secretarial Branch as a pilot officer. Having completed an accounting course, she was posted as a junior accounts officer to RAF Spitalgate in Grantham, Li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anne Stephens (WRAF Officer)
Air Commandant Dame Anne Stephens DBE, (4 November 1912 – 26 July 2000) was Director of the British Women's Royal Air Force from 1960 until her retirement in 1963. She was awarded an MBE in 1946, and elevated to DBE in 1961. Family and early life Stephens's father was General Sir Reginald Byng Stephens and she was descended from the brother of Admiral John Byng (1704-1757), who was shot after a court-martial found him guilty in failing to relieve the siege of Minorca during the Seven Years' War. She was educated privately except for a short period at Hatherop Castle School, and engaged in voluntary work near her home in Gloucestershire until 1939 brought the opportunity to volunteer for service in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). Service career Stephens joined the 27th (Gloucester) company of the WAAF when it was formed in 1939, becoming its first commanding officer. During the Second World War Stephens served in Britain, Belgium, and Germany, and was the second m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henrietta Barnett (WRAF Officer)
Air Commandant Dame Mary Henrietta Barnett (16 February 1905 – 11 September 1985), known as Henrietta Barnett, was a senior officer of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF). From 1956 to 1960, she served as its director. Military career In 1938, Barnett joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a volunteer (IE private), and was assigned to No. 45 County of Oxford Company. She transferred to the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) when it was established on 28 June 1939. She was commissioned into the WAAF as a company assistant (equivalent to a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force), with seniority from 5 December 1938. During World War II, she served at RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire, at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk, and at the Air Ministry in London. Barnett was present for the London Blitz and witnessed the destruction of the House of Commons as well as other places. At that time, she was stationed there and air women like herself worked on various tasks at the Air Ministry. Bar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nancy Salmon
Air Commandant Dame Nancy Marion Salmon (2 May 1906 – 9 October 1999), also known after 1962 by her married name, Dame Nancy Snagge, was a senior British women's air force officer. She was Director of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) from 1950 to 1956. Early life Salmon was born in Hampstead the daughter of a chartered accountant and she was educated at Notting Hill High School. In 1938 she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a driver. Women's Auxiliary Air Force Salmon transferred from the ATS to the Women's Auxiliary Air Force in 1939 when it was formed and her first posting was a barrage balloon unit. She later spent time as officer in charge of personnel at Fighter Command, RAF Stanmore before becoming a staff officer at No 77 Signals Wing in Liverpool. She was later responsible for WAAF radar operators. At the end of the 1940s she helped with drafting regulations and a plan for more integration with the Royal Air Force which led to the formation of the Women's Roy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Felicity Peake
Air Commandant Dame Felicity Hyde, Lady Peake ( Watts; 1 May 1913 – 2 November 2002) was the founding director of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) She started flying when her first husband took up the hobby in 1935, but in 1946 became the first director of the WRAF. She was Honorary Aide-de-camp to King George VI from 1949 to 1950. Early years and career Peake spent much of her youth at Haslington Hall, an Elizabethan house near Crewe, bought by her father after the First World War. Her father, Colonel Humphrey Watts, was a prosperous Manchester-based industrialist whose family's wealth derived from S & J Watts, a textile business founded in 1798. Peake was educated at St. Winifred's, Eastbourne, but left before taking her school certificate to go on to a finishing school outside Paris. She met Jock Hanbury, a member of the Truman, Hanbury, Buxton & Co brewing family (whose hobby was flying), while on a cruise to the West Indies. They were married at St Margaret's, Westmin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helen Gwynne-Vaughan
Dame Helen Charlotte Isabella Gwynne-Vaughan, (née Fraser; 21 January 1879 – 26 August 1967) was a prominent English botanist and mycologist. During the First World War, she served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and then as Commandant of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) from 1918 to 1919. During the Second World War, from 1939 to 1941, she served as Chief Controller of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). Early life and education Helen Charlotte Isabella Fraser was born on 21 January 1879 in Westminster, London, England. She was the elder daughter of Army Captain the Honourable Arthur Hay David Fraser (1852-1884; son of Alexander Fraser, 18th Lord Saltoun), and Lucy Jane (died 1939), daughter of Major Robert Duncan Fergusson, of the Rifle Brigade and the Royal Ayrshire and Wigton Rifle militia. Lucy Fraser was a novelist and extra lady-in-waiting to HRH Princess Beatrice; in 1887, having been widowed, she remarried, to diplomat Francis Hay-Newton. Due to her ste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Hawkinge
Royal Air Force Hawkinge or more simply RAF Hawkinge is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Ashford, north of Folkestone, Kent and west of Dover, Kent, England. The airfield was used by both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force during its lifetime and was involved during the Battle of Britain as well other important aerial battles during the Second World War and the early stages of aerial usage in war in the First World War. History First World War During the First World War the airfield was called RFC Folkestone until 29 December 1916 and RFC Hawkinge later on. The only squadron present during this period was No. 25 Squadron RFC between 19 and 20 February 1916 with Vickers F.B.5, Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2B and Morane-Saulnier L. An Aircraft Acceptance Park was in residence between 27 July 1917 and 12 October 1917 before being renamed to No. 12 Aircraft Acceptance Park which stayed until May 1919. Inter-war years Between the wars a number of s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Princess Alice, Duchess Of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, (born Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott; 25 December 1901 – 29 October 2004) was the wife of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V and Queen Mary. She was the mother of Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester. The daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch, Scotland's largest landowner, she became by marriage a princess of the United Kingdom, and a sister-in-law to Edward VIII and George VI. She was thus an aunt by marriage to Elizabeth II. Princess Alice was extremely well travelled, both before and after her marriage. At the time of her death at age 102, she was the longest-lived member of the British royal family. Early life Alice Christabel was born in Montagu House, Whitehall, London, on Christmas Day 1901 as the third daughter and fifth child of John Montagu Douglas Scott, Earl of Dalkeith (later Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry), and his wife, the former Lady Marga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ruth Montague
Air Commodore Ruth Mary Bryceson Montague (born 1 June 1939) is a British air force officer, who served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) from 1989 to 1994. She was the last head of the WRAF, before it was disestablished in 1994 and merged into the Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an .... References {{DEFAULTSORT:Montague, Ruth 1939 births Living people Women's Royal Air Force officers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
