WAAF: Women's Auxiliary Air Force

The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force is the women’s division of the Royal Air Force. Conscription of British women began in 1942 when a shortage of manpower threatened the war effort. Conscripted women were between the ages of 20 and 30 and had the choice of the auxiliary services or factory work. Women did not serve as aircrew but some served as pilots in the Air Transport Auxiliary, a civilian organization that transported new, repaired, and damaged military aircraft between factories, assembly plants, and transatlantic delivery points. At the time, women could not perform in combat roles but had a number of dangerous and important duties. Women were involved in parachute packing, crewing barrage balloons, meteorology, transport, and aircraft maintenance. They also served in radar as operators and plotters, and in communications, including wireless telephonic and telegraphic operation. Women worked in codes and ciphers, analyzed reconnaissance photographs, and performed intelligence operations as well.