7th June 2021

Uniform Button

Women’s Air Training Corps

Backmarked: Stokes & Sons Melbourne

 

 The badge is available at Australian Militaria Sales. There is one from Stokes and one from Sheridan’s.  https://www.militaria-sales.com.au/ The WATC was formed at Archerfield in Brisbane in July 1939 as a voluntary auxiliary service for local women interested in supporting the RAAF, although the War Council did not formally approve it until January 1941. When Flying Officer Bell, the founder of the corps, moved to Melbourne she was asked to establish a local group. Other groups were then established around Australia. The members were trained in communications, transport and clerical work for future positions in services such as the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) when it was formed in 1941.

A famous member of this corps was Nancy Bird (later Nancy Bird-Walton). She was Commandant from 1942-1944.

Australian War Memorial #044461

The Australasian (Melbourne), 24th May 1941 page 21.

The Australian Women’s Weekly, 27th July 1940 page 31.

https://www.ozatwar.com/raaf/watc.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bell_(aviator)

https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/trailblazers/nancy-bird-walton/

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