Women's Royal Australian Army Corps

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Women's Royal Australian Army Corps
Active1951–84
Country Australia
RoleService support
Commanders
Colonel-In-ChiefPrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Insignia
AbbreviationWRAAC
Corps of the Australian Army
Combat
Combat Support
Combat Service Support
Training Corps
Former Corps
  • v
  • t

The Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) was formed as an all women's corps of the Australian Army in April 1951. Its Colonel-in-Chief was Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. The purpose of the corps was to counter a personnel shortage that developed due to fighting during the Korean War and post-World War II full employment.[1][2] At the time of its formation, many senior WRAAC personnel had previously served in the Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS), which had been raised during World War II, and as a result the WRAAC is considered to have its origins in the AWAS.[2][3] The corps consisted of both Regular and part-time personnel, and had commissioned officers, warrant officers, non commissioned officers and other ranks who filled a variety of roles including general duties, cooking, clerical work, instruction, warehousing, and signalling. There were also librarians, coders, projectionists, and psychologists.[2]

Training was completed separately from male recruits at various locations including Queenscliff for soldiers and Georges Heights for officers. Personnel were posted either to formed WRAAC companies, or to male units to fill position vacancies.[2] By the late 1970s female soldiers had begun to be integrated into the Army at large and in late 1984, the WRAAC was disbanded with personnel being transferred to other previously all male corps based on their trade specialty. At this time, female officer cadets began training at the Officer Cadet School, Portsea alongside male cadets,[4] and when Portsea closed down at the end of 1985, they were integrated into the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Female soldiers began training alongside male recruits at the Army Recruit Training Centre at Kapooka in 1985.[1][5]

There were four directors of the service before the title of director was abolished: Kathleen Best (1951–1957); Dawn Jackson (1957–1972); Kathleen Fowler (1972–1977); and Barbara Maxwell (1977–1979).[6][7]

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ a b "Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) (1951–1985)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Women's Royal Australian Army Corps". WRAAC Association (Victoria). Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  3. ^ Lever, Geoff. "Women's historical contribution recognised on Anzac Day". Army History Unit. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  4. ^ Lindsay 1995, p. 33.
  5. ^ "1st Recruit Training Battalion: History". Army Life. Australian Army. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  6. ^ Heywood, Anne (25 November 2002). "Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) (1951–1985)". Women Australia. Melbourne, Australia: The Australian Women's Register. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. ^ Heywood, Anne (12 December 2002). "Maxwell, Barbara Edwina Audrey (1932–1991)". Women Australia. Melbourne, Australia: The Australian Women's Register. Archived from the original on 15 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.

Bibliography[]

  • Lindsay, Neville (1995). Loyalty and Service: History of the Officer Cadet School, Portsea. Kenmore, Queensland: Historia Publications. ISBN 0-646-25492-8.

Further reading[]

  • Bomford, Janette (2001). Soldiers of the Queen: Women in the Australian Army. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195514070.
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