"WRAF" redirects here. For the radio stations, see WRAF (FM) and WRAF (AM).
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.
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 recruits and 10,000 transferred from the predecessor organisations. The first incarnation never exceeded 25,000.[1]
Depots
Depots were opened in 1918 at Handsworth College, in Glasgow, at RAF Flowerdown, RAF Spitalgate, near Grantham, and at York. In the 1950s the WRAF Depot and WRAF Officer Cadet Training Unit were opened at RAF Hawkinge in Kent.
Ranks
The WRAF inherited its rank structure from its predecessor, the WAAF. As with WAAF practice (from 1940), other ranks held standard RAF ranks, but officers used a separate ranking system until 1968, when they too adopted RAF officer ranks.
^An honorary rank held only by Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, who held it as a rank (until 1968) and later an appointment throughout the WRAF's existence. On 1 April 1994 her title changed to Air Chief Commandant for Women, RAF, by which time she held the rank of Air Chief Marshal.
^"RAF Ranks". raf.mod.uk/. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Women's Royal Air Force.
BE Escott, Women in Air Force Blue: the story of women in the Royal Air Force from 1918 to the present day - 1989 - Stephens
KB Beauman, Partners in Blue: The Story of Women's Service with the Royal Air Force - 1971 - Hutchinson Radius
May 21, 2023
women, royal, force, wraf, women, branch, royal, force, existed, separate, incarnations, from, 1918, 1920, from, 1949, 1994, 25th, july, 1919, king, open, court, buckingham, palace, tribute, workers, shown, members, active1918, 19201949, 1994allegiance, united. 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 Women s Royal Air Force25th July 1919 King s Open Court Buckingham Palace tribute to WW I Workers shown members of the Women s Royal Air Force Active1918 19201949 1994Allegiance United KingdomBranchRoyal Air ForceRoleSupport servicesSizePeak of 25 000 1918 1920 Garrison HQRAF HawkingeCommandersLast Director WRAFAir Commodore Ruth MontagueAir Chief CommandantPrincess Alice Duchess of Gloucester WRAF redirects here For the radio stations see WRAF FM and WRAF AM 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 Contents 1 Strength 2 Depots 3 Ranks 4 List of Commandants WRAF 5 List of Directors WRAF 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 Further reading A fitter of the Women s Royal Air Force working on the Liberty engine of a De Havilland Airco DH 9A Strength Edit The Best Cadet receives her certificate from Air Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders and Air Commandant Dame Felicity Hanbury the first Director of the Women s Royal Air Force at RAF Hawkinge 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 recruits and 10 000 transferred from the predecessor organisations The first incarnation never exceeded 25 000 1 Depots EditDepots were opened in 1918 at Handsworth College in Glasgow at RAF Flowerdown RAF Spitalgate near Grantham and at York In the 1950s the WRAF Depot and WRAF Officer Cadet Training Unit were opened at RAF Hawkinge in Kent Ranks EditThe WRAF inherited its rank structure from its predecessor the WAAF As with WAAF practice from 1940 other ranks held standard RAF ranks but officers used a separate ranking system until 1968 when they too adopted RAF officer ranks NATO code OF 10 OF 9 OF 8 OF 7 OF 6 OF 5 OF 4 OF 3 OF 2 OF 1 OF D Student officer Women s Royal Air Force 1949 1968 vte Air Chief Commandant note 1 Air Commandant Group Officer Wing Officer Squadron Officer Flight Officer Section Officer Assistant Section Officer Royal Air Force 2 vte Marshal of the RAF Air chief marshal Air marshal Air vice marshal Air commodore Group captain Wing commander Squadron leader Flight lieutenant Flying officer Pilot officer acting pilot officer Officer cadet Dame Helen Gwynne Vaughan GBE WRAF Commandant 1918 1920 These ranks were introduced in 1949 The First World War service used different ranks List of Commandants WRAF EditGertrude Crawford 1918 Violet Douglas Pennant May September 1918 Helen Gwynne Vaughan September 1918 1920List of Directors WRAF EditAir Commandant Dame Felicity Hanbury 1949 1950 Air Commandant Dame Nancy Salmon 1950 1956 Air Commandant Dame Henrietta Barnett 1956 1959 Air Commandant Dame Anne Stephens 1959 1962 Air Commandant Dame Jean Conan Doyle 1962 1966 Air Commodore Dame Felicity Hill 1966 1969 Air Commodore Philippa Marshall 1969 1973 Air Commodore Molly Allott 1973 1976 Air Commodore Joy Tamblin 1976 1980 Air Commodore Helen Renton 1980 1986 Air Commodore Shirley Jones 1986 1989 Air Commodore Ruth Montague 1989 1994See also EditAir Transport Auxiliary Patricia Howard Women Airforce Service Pilots US equivalent Women s Royal Army Corps Women s Royal Naval ServiceNotes Edit An honorary rank held only by Princess Alice Duchess of Gloucester who held it as a rank until 1968 and later an appointment throughout the WRAF s existence On 1 April 1994 her title changed to Air Chief Commandant for Women RAF by which time she held the rank of Air Chief Marshal References Edit Women in Air Force Blue p 21 RAF Ranks raf mod uk Royal Air Force Retrieved 21 September 2021 Further reading Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Women s Royal Air Force BE Escott Women in Air Force Blue the story of women in the Royal Air Force from 1918 to the present day 1989 Stephens KB Beauman Partners in Blue The Story of Women s Service with the Royal Air Force 1971 Hutchinson Radius Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Women 27s Royal Air Force amp oldid 1122141030, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
