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Women's Royal Air Force
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. Women were only permitted to become aircrew as air loadmasters and air stewards until 1989, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Following the Allies of World War I, Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has played History of the Royal Air Force, a significant role in Military history of the United Kingdom, British military history. In particular, during the Second World War, the RAF established Air supremacy, air superiority over Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, and led the Allied strategic bombing effort. The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence (MOD), which are to "provide the capabilities nee ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
First Chief Controller, Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps (QMAAC) In France, Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, GBE
First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared and Sub-millimetre Telescope, of the Herschel Space Observatory * For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, an international youth organization * Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams, a global forum Arts and entertainment Albums * ''1st'' (album), by Streets, 1983 * ''1ST'' (SixTones album), 2021 * ''First'' (David Gates album), 1973 * ''First'', by Denise Ho, 2001 * ''First'' (O'Bryan album), 2007 * ''First'' (Raymond Lam album), 2011 Extended plays * ''1st'', by The Rasmus, 1995 * ''First'' (Baroness EP), 2004 * ''First'' (Ferlyn G EP), 2015 Songs * "First" (Lindsay Lohan song), 2005 * "First" (Cold War Kids song), 2014 * "First", by Lauren Daigle from the album '' How Can It Be'', 2015 * "First", ... [...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, L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joy Tamblin
Air Commodore Pamela Joy Tamblin (11 January 1926 – 8 March 2015) was a senior officer of the Royal Air Force. She served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force from 1976 to 1980. Military career During World War II, Tamblin served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She worked at Bletchley Park between 1943 and 1945. She joined the Women's Royal Air Force in 1951. She served in the Education Branch from 1951 to 1955, and the Administrative Branch from 1955 to 1976. She was station commander of RAF Spitalgate from 1971 to 1974. She served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force from 1976 to 1980, succeeding Molly Allott. Tamblin decided to study at Durham University, resulting in a Secondary Honours Degree in “Geography and Economics”. This decision was taken after Tamblin was “discharged at the rank of Corporal”. Shortly afterwards, Tamblin managed an education centre and then went on to the administrative branch in 1955, resulting in “personnel and g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Molly Allott
Air Commodore Molly Greenwood Allott CB (28 December 1918 – 12 December 2013) telegraph.co.uk; accessed 19 February 2018. was director of the from 1973 to 1976. Born in Wortley, Leeds, , she was educated at Sheffield High School, and joined the |
Philippa Marshall
Air Commodore Philippa Frances Marshall (4 November 1920 – 4 February 2005) was a British Royal Air Force officer, who served as director of the Women's Royal Air Force from 1969 to 1973. Biography Marshall was born on 4 November 1920 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. She was educated at St Dominic's High School for Girls, an all-girls private school in Stoke-on-Trent. In 1941, Marshall joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). On 10 June 1942, she was commissioned as an assistant section officer (equivalent in rank to pilot officer) on probation. With the creation of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) in 1949, she was transferred to the WRAF as a flight officer (equivalent to flight lieutenant) on 1 February 1949 with seniority in that rank from 10 December 1946. She was promoted to squadron officer (equivalent to squadron leader) on 1 July 1953, to wing officer (equivalent to wing commander) on 1 January 1964, and to group officer (equivalent to group capta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Felicity Hill
Air Commodore Dame Felicity Barbara Hill, (12 December 1915 – 30 January 2019) was a British Royal Air Force officer. From 1966 to 1969, she served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force. She died in January 2019 at the age of 103. Military career In 1939, with the outbreak of World War II, Hill joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). She had intended to join the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRENS) but her application had taken too long to process, so she joined the WAAF alongside some friends. She was in fact too short to qualify for military service but the man measuring her added half an inch to her height to meet the minimum required. Describing the situation, she stated "I probably should never have got in". Her first posting as an aircraftwoman was as an equipment assistant at stores of RAF Farnborough where she issued "anything from pants to revolvers". She failed her first officer selection board because she was too young. Having attended the WAAF's firs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jean Conan Doyle
Air Commandant Dame Lena Annette Jean Conan Doyle, Lady Bromet, (21 December 1912 – 18 November 1997) was a British Women's Royal Air Force officer. The second daughter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, she was brought up at her parents' country house, Windlesham, in Crowborough, Sussex. A spirited child, with two older brothers, she was described as a tomboy by Harry Houdini. Her childhood nickname was "Billy", and letters to her father would be signed "Your loving son". On her tenth birthday, however, she announced that she had decided to be a girl after all. She then went to her Aunt Ida's school, Granville House in Eastbourne, Sussex, where she took after her mother in developing a love of nature. As a schoolgirl she was a classmate and friend of Joan Boniface Winnifrith, who would become film and television actress Anna Lee. Winnifrith was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's god-daughter. Career She attended school at Granville House, Eastbourne, and went on to serve for thirty years ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anne Stephens (WRAF Officer)
Air Commandant Dame Anne Stephens (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 membe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henrietta Barnett (WRAF Officer)
Air Commandant Dame Mary Henrietta Barnett (16 February 1905 – 11 September 1985) was a senior officer of the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF). From 1956 to 1960, she served as its director. Early life and education Barnett was born on 16 February 1905 in Winchester, Hampshire, England. She was the youngest child of Colonel George Henry Barnett CMG DSO and Mary Dorothea Barnett ( Baker). From September 1918 to July 1922, she was educated at Heathfield School, Ascot, Heathfield School, an all girls Independent school (UK), independent school in Ascot, Berkshire. Military career In 1938, Barnett joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a volunteer (IE Private (rank), 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 officer, commissioned into the WAAF as a company assistant (equivalent to a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force), with seniority fro ... [...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 Ro ... [...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, Westm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
