WW2 - what was the WAF and what did the women do?

[medpat]

I referred to the ATS previously, my mother was in the ATS and was based at Chilwell Nottingham. She was stripping out electrical wires and rewiring the tanks to get them ready to go to battle again. She said the stench in some was overpowering, you don't need much imagination to realise what had happened.

Mum was a L/Cpl and one of those put on standby for D Day. She had to be ready with a small pack for several days before she was stood down. She never told grandma how near she came to going to France as it would have upset her.

Somewhat later  I joined the WRAF.  It was WAAF during WW2 and up to 1949 then it became WRAF.

[GlossopJ]

Hi - I have this photo of my Grandmother in the UK WAF corp in WW2 I have been told.  If anyone thinks this any of these people or group look familiar, please let me know?

I have been researching for some time and enquired to several UK sites to find a service number for my Grandmother to no avail.

We grew up knowing that Grandma was one of the first women to join WW2 and was told of being in trains to Berlin and getting gun fired at.

My research has already indicated that, "When they are close to the front line or sent overseas in support of men on active service they need to be in Uniform and have Army serial numbers." - So - in knowing that and if in WAF or I have been quoted NAAFI - there possibly will not be a service number?

[rafcommands]

I think this picture has been badly colourised giving the wrong impression of service.

WAAF uniform had black tie and shoes and tunic should have RAF eagle shoulder patches.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Women%27s_Auxiliary_Air_Force,_1939-1945._CH10577.jpg

In this case the lighter tie and shoes suggests the khaki and brown of the ATS.

Ross

[GlossopJ]

Thank you Ross - this is great information and has helped me greatly knowing it is the ATS.  I am just new to this research and I agree that looking at the ATS uniform on Google is pretty spot on.  From my understanding, the members of the ATS would not have a Service Number I would presume?  Would you know or have heard.

[MaecW]

Agree. These are not WRAF. Initially I thought they were ATS but a closer look at their cap badges shows the rampant lion (?) of the WRAC, so taken after the formation of that Corps in 1949.
The officer is from the Royal Artillery and the women (all Corporals or Lance-Corporals) have Corps badges above the left breast pocket. The definition is a bit poor but one appears to be a grenade which might indicate Gunners or Engineers. The other could be either Signals or Medics.  So a training course of some kind.

Maec

[Viktoria]

The WAAF cap badge was a laurel reef with RAF in the centre and King George's Vll crown on top the same as the men wore.

They later became WRAF and now just RAF. The only difference with the badge later was the change of the crown to Queen Elizabeth ll crown.

A typo no doubt but it was King George Vl.
Viktoria.

[Andy J2022]

These are not WRAF. Initially I thought they were ATS but a closer look at their cap badges shows the rampant lion (?) of the WRAC, so taken after the formation of that Corps in 1949.
The other could be either Signals or Medics. 
Maec

As Maec says this photo is from 1949 or later, so the unknown capbadge is highly unlikely to be Royal Signals as their capbadge changed to the version used today, without the oval band surrounding the figure of Mercury, in 1949.