WINGS OVER CAMBRIDGE
CAMBRIDGE'S CONNECTIONS WITH THE WARTIME AIR FORCE
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force, or WAAF (pronounced waff), was established in New Zealand in 1940 when the RNZAF began to recruit women. They were employed in all sorts of roles within the Air Force, from administrative to technical trades, and they performed as vital a role as the men in the ground staff.
The trades that the WAAF were employed in included the following: (source: The WAAF Book by Bathia McKenzie)
WAAF TradesCooks
Mess-hands
Clerks, General Duties
Clerks, Stores Accounting
Clerks , Pay Accounting
Clerks, Special Duties
Clerks, Signals
Clerks, Medical
Shorthand Typists
Librarians
Fabric Workers
Parachute Packers
Equipment Assistants
Instrument Repairers
Tailoresses
Drivers, petrol
Meteorological assistants
Medical orderlies
Medical orderlies, Special Duties (Psychological research)
Aircrafthands, General Duties (runners, cleaners, etc)
Physical and recreational training
Instructors
Telephone operators
Wireless operators
Teleprinters
Telegraphists
Radio Telephonists
Dental clerk orderlies
Dental mechanics
AML bomber teacher instructors
Link-trainer maintainence
Workshop assistants
Dry canteen assistants
YMCA assistants
GRU (Gunnery Research Unit) assessor, tracers
Disciplinarians
Motor-boat crew
Shoe fitters (on secondment to Ministry of Supply)
Photographic assistants
WAAF Rank Structure
| WAAF RANK | RNZAF Equivalent Rank |
|---|---|
| Wing Officer Squadron Officer Flight Officer Assistant Section Officer Under Officer Senior Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Leading Aircraftswoman WA1 |
Wing Commander Squadron Leader Flying Officer Pilot Officer Warrant Officer Flight Sergeant Sergeant Corporal Leading Aircraftsman AC2 |
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