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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: garbfink on Saturday 15 April 17 22:21 BST (UK)

Title: WAAF & WAC Enlistment and service records
Post by: garbfink on Saturday 15 April 17 22:21 BST (UK)

So.

Just found out today that my Grandmother was 'conscripted' during WW2. I've been to visit my great aunt today who is 95 and she told me that my gran,  her sister, was called up for the war effort and was a corporal.

As I understand it women would either join the WAAF, WAC,  or have the option to go into factory work. Considering that she had a rank I'm assuming she was either WAAF of WAC.

Was there any other service that she could have joined that would give her a rank?

What would be the best way of trying to locate her enlistment details Or service record?

Her details were.

Gwendoline Carr. Corporal.
Born Jan 1920 in Hemsworth. Yorkshire. Died 1993.

Any advice or pointers on what information I should try / might be able to get would be appreciated.

Thanks

Simon.

Title: Re: WAAF & WAC Enlistment and service records
Post by: rafcommands on Sunday 16 April 17 08:08 BST (UK)

unlikely to be WAAF so I would try WAC records from MoD first with birth details instead of service number.

AIR 78 on free download at The National Archives lists all Air Force Other Ranks personnel enrolled upto the 1970s

There is only one Gwendoline Carr listed by name and she has the middle name Margaret.

Looking at FreeBMD for your grandmother shows no middle name registered so unlikely the same person unless family know better.

Ross

Title: Re: WAAF & WAC Enlistment and service records
Post by: rosie99 on Sunday 16 April 17 08:34 BST (UK)

Information for applying for service records from the MOD for WW2
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=651361.0

Title: Re: WAAF & WAC Enlistment and service records
Post by: garbfink on Sunday 16 April 17 09:26 BST (UK)

Thanks for the pointers.

She was definitely just Gwendoline Carr, no middle name. I'll send of for the records from the MoD and keep you posted on how I get on.

Thanks for the help

G.

Title: Re: WAAF & WAC Enlistment and service records
Post by: medpat on Sunday 16 April 17 10:01 BST (UK)

The ladies in the army WW2 were in the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service). My mother was rewiring damaged tanks in the ATS and based at Chilwell Nottingham.

As well as the WAAF and the WRENS there were the land army girls.

There was important war work in factories and my mother's job meant she wouldn't be conscripted so she volunteered for the ATS.

The ATS became the WRAC (Women's Royal Army Corps)  later and the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) became WRAF (Women's Royal Air Force) both after WW2.

Your grandmother could have been a corporal in the ATS or the WAAF. I don't believe WRENS  had corporal ranks.

Have given you a link to the ATS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxiliary_Territorial_Service

 :)