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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0689.PDF
FLIGHT, 29 May 1953 683 Malaya is one of the countries where units of the Regiment serve. The photograph was taken at the headquarters of No. 91 Squadron at Rawang Selangor. The Queen's Air Forces . training and ground operations. It is expected that a re-organization of the Regiment will shortly be made, reducing the types of operational unit to two: light anti-aircraft and field units. The former will form a light anti-aircraft wing of two or more squadrons, with administrative staff, and control, reporting and observation elements included at headquarters. The field squadrons will replace existing armoured car and rifle squadrons; they will be equipped with light, fast vehicles (of Land Rover type) and will be capable of performing reconnaissance, support and counter-attack duties. A large number of Regiment officers and N.C.O.s are required for staff and instructional duties throughout the R.A.F. At the Air Ministry, there is a Directorate of Ground Defence respon sible for policy and plans, and at all staff levels throughout the chain of Command the Regiment is represented. The provision of instructors at R.A.F. schools and colleges, and on stations, is another important commitment, and the Regiment also provides the officers and N.C.O.S for locally enlisted ground defence forces in Iraq, Aden and Malaya. The active-service conditions frequently encountered in these last theatres not only afford valuable experience but make duty with these forces very popular with keen young men. There are Regiment units in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, and some Regiment officers in the R.A.F.V.R. A recent well-deserved honour was the presentation of the Queen's Colour to the Regiment. In the presence of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh and a distinguished company of guests, a detachment representing the Regiment received the Colour from H.M. the Queen at Buckingham Palace on March 17th this year. THE WOMEN'S ROYAL AIR FORCE THE work of the Queen's air forces is essentially a job for both men and women. The ubiquity and importance of the role of the Women's Royal Air Force is easily overlooked, and yet the fact remains that women serve in every one of the R.A.F. Com mands described elsewhere in this issue, with the exception only of the R.A.F. Regiment. The W.R.A.F. in 1953 forms not a separate corps but an integral, essential part of the whole Air Force frame work, and as such its value is undisputed. The W.R.A.F. was first formed on April 1st, 1918, when the R.A.F. was constituted as a separate Service. By the time the women's element was disbanded in 1920, over 30,000 officers and airwomen had served in it. Its successor, the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, was formed in June, 1939, and numbered some 2,000 on the outbreak of war. Expanded to a strength of fifteen times that figure, the force in 1941 became part of the armed forces of the Crown, its officers holding His Majesty's Commission. Further expansion to the 1943 peak strength of 182,000 saw members of the W.A.A.F. serving in 83 different trades, including those most highly skilled. The excellent wartime record of the force need now be retold here. From the experience of two world wars, it was seen that, to build up quickly and effectively a women's element of the Service in emergency, its administrative structure should not be allowed to disappear in times of peace. The decision was, therefore, made in 1946, to continue the women's forces on a voluntary basis as a permanent feature of the armed forces—but not as separate entities. The trend towards greater integration of the W.R.A.F. with the R.A.F. was carried to its logical conclusion, and since February 1949, when the force re-adopted the title "Women's Royal Air Force," women have enlisted in and been commissioned in Members of the W.R.A.F. work together with the men in most branches of the Service. Here, the work of fighter plotters is shown. the Service under substantially the same terms as the men. Since the introduction of the new R.A.F. trade structure, oppor tunities for advancement in specialized trades have increased, and many members of the W.R.A.F. have taken Service examinations. They are also eligible to obtain the qualifications of recognized civilian bodies such as those concerned with nursing. It is, of course, possible for W.R.A.F. members now to achieve the highest specialized ranks open to airmen, and even at the chief technicians' level the W.R.A.F. is represented. These improved prospects have resulted in an increase in numbers serving from 8,800 in 1951 to 9,900 at present, in spite of the high wastage rate due to marriage. Other recent incentives which have doubtless favourably influenced the number of recruits are the improved hat design, the issue of nylons, and the provision of more comfortable and modern barrack blocks. In the 18 R.A.F. trade groups which are open to women (out of a total of 22) there are over 150 separate trades in the assistant, skilled and advanced levels. Fighter plotter and radar operator are two of the more interesting skilled trades, open to candidates who can satisfy the intelligence and aptitude requirements on entry. Commissions may be obtained in the technical, equipment, secretarial, fighter control, medical, dental, education, provost and catering branches—both from the ranks and in some cases by direct entry—and in addition, officers and airwomen are able to serve in the Auxiliary and Reserve Services. A recent development at the Universities of Oxford and London has been the formation of auxiliary ground fighter control flights, attached to the University Air Squadrons, in which Auxiliary or Reserve women can serve. It is hoped to extend this scheme to other Universities later. One regular section which University women may enter directly is the technical branch, for engineering or signals duties. Both at home and abroad the women of the W.R.A.F. continue to play their essential part in the work of all branches of the R.A.F. As their Director, Air Commandant Nancy M. Salmon, O.B.E., forecast in a message to Flight three years ago, they are "sharing fully in the task of maintaining a strong and efficient Service—and thus, in a wider sphere, making their own contribution towards the preservation of world peace."
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