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Photo Album of the WAAAF Page
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| This is Beth Edmonston, first woman to receive an Air Force number as a member of the ground staff of the R.A.A.F., at Recruit Centre, Melbourne, on March 15, 1941. Seventeen other airwomen were enrolled the same day. |
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| First W.A.A.A.F. training depot was opened in Melbourne and was first Air Force unit to be commanded by a woman. Here are some of the first feminine "rookies" drilling in their blue-jeans- "airmen type". Later, "rookies" were
issued with W.A.A.A.F.-type jeans, designed to fit a woman's figure. Girls learnt to drill well more quickly than men, assimilated Air Force atmosphere rapidly (contrary to some expectations!) |
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| Here are some of the first
W.A.A.A.F. telegraphists learning Air Force signals procedure. These first girls should be specially remembered because, as civilians, they gave up their spare time after work and at week-ends, to learn Morse and reach a
speed of 20 words a minute, so that the Air Force would accept them, Later, girls were trained
throughout by the Air Force, and paid during their training period. |
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| Pass-out parade of first school of W.A.A.A.F. officer-trainees, in 1941. They are being inspected by
Sq/Off. C. G. Stevenson (appointed D/W.A.A.A.F. on June 9, 1941 ) and C.O. of the school,
Flt/Off. S. I. Burnett (on loan from the English W.A.A.F.) |
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| "Watch those hands!"-the first W.A.A.A.F. march through city streets, Melbourne, August, 1941. The Air Force dropped this exaggerated
arm-swing about the middle of 1941. Pleated skirts worn by first W.A.A.A.F. were discarded later in favour of the more easily mass-produced four-gore
skirt. |
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| How many airwomen remember
"Carruthers"-the first vehicle allotted to the W.A.A.A.F.? First
W.A.A.A.F. D.M.T., Molly Jones, of Tasmania, shown in the picture wearing corporal's stripes, is supervising the cleaning of the
tender. |
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| Members of the W.A.A.A.F. were the first servicewomen to he used as part of a combatant force in the defence of Australia.
When Townsville was bombed in July, 7942, many girls like this typical, cheerful
lass, stayed at their posts, plotting the approach of enemy aircraft, working switchboards, driving tenders. |
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