3rd November 2022

A Rare WW2 badge

One of my “wish-list” buttons is found on page 62 of Cossum’s book, ‘Buttons of the Defence Forces in Australia’, that of the WW2 Women’s Air Training Corps. However, when I spotted a fairly priced badge, I swooped.

As can be seen, it was produced by Stokes.

See http://www.austbuttonhistory.com/defence-forces-uniform-buttons/1901-ww2/#Womens_Air_Training_Corps

13.

The Herald (Melbourne), 11th December 1939 page

The Victorian Section of this corps was established on 6th December 1939. Note that even though Freda Thompson was a qualified flying instructor, the women were not to be trained in “actual flying”. Even so, more than 500 “girls and young women” attended a meeting in January 1940 to outline arrangements for its arrangement, and nearly 1000 signed up by February, even though they had to pay to join, and buy their own uniform. This volunteer corps was to eventually  ( on the 9th January 1941) become part of a Women’s Air Auxillary, similar to that formed in England. The uniform consisted of a khaki tunic coat and skirt, with a navy blue forage cap.

The Argus (Melbourne), 6th February 1940 page 8.

The Age (Melbourne), 13th June 1941 page 3.

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