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WOME N
and the
R A F
For the first time in history, women entered the British armed forces
in 1917.However, they were not permitted to engage in combat.They
were expected to replace men in clerical and administrative roles.
With the creation of the RAF in April 1918 the Woman’s Royal Air
Force was formed and grew rapidly. A photograph of the Montrose
Air Station complement in 1919 shows large numbers of WRAFs.
Other photographs of the period show women at RAF Montrose in
the cookhouse, in the engine workshops and driving vehicles.
The RAF, perhaps, had more opportunities for traditional female
skills than the other services.Many women,likeAnnie Largie,who was
a seamstress, had skills in sewing fabric, which were very relevant to
the maintenance of the fabric-covered aircraft of the time.Although
women were not allowed to fly, off the record some of the more
dare-devilish did make unauthorised trips!
Enid Carnegy-Arbuthnott,
aged 18, in the cockpit
of a BE2e Balnamoon
- Sept. 1916
16 materials of war