A team of seven female personnel from RAF Odiham joined former WAAF and WRAF members at a week-long celebration of 100 years of women in the RAF at Princess Marina House in Rustington…
The group gave a presentation to the former servicewomen at the care centre run by the RAF Benevolent Fund, before a special gala dinner. The evening was the highlight in a week of activities to celebrate 100 years of women in the Armed Forces, specifically the RAF.
Women began serving in the RAF towards the end of the First World War, when the Women’s Royal Air Force was formed in 1918. The Service was disbanded in 1920, following the end of hostilities.
When war broke out again in 1939, the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force was created with a limit to the roles women could apply for. In 1941, the height of the Second World War, women were conscripted into the service, which grew to more than 180,000 personnel at its peak.
WAAF later became WRAF, before the two services, the RAF and WRAF were formally merged in 1994.