Information re WAAF recruitment, dispersal and activities

Hi Everyone,
I am looking for sources of information to try to find out what my mum 5780 actually did during the war. I found one reference to Asst Sec Offs. which I presume means secretarial duties to officers ???
I imagine there were enlistment records somewhere.
She ended up in Rinteln with my dad in BAFO.
He had enlisted apparently in 1939, but was held in reserve for when his medical skills might be needed. One item mentioned RAFVR. So far I have not been able to find his service number.
Any help findong this information would be most welcome
Hilda Mary BRADFIELD 16 JUL 19 S/N 5780
Thomas Eldon Scott STOWELL 06 JUL 1919 S/N Unknown

Sincerely
Philip Stowell

 

This is her rank; Assistant Section Officer

 

Assistant Section Officer. A commissioned rank in the WAAF. Her NCO number was 2027597.

Assistant Section Officer: Page 4443 | Supplement 35741, 9 October 1942 | London Gazette | The Gazette

Section Officer: Page 2372 | Supplement 36030, 25 May 1943 | London Gazette | The Gazette

Your dad was given an emergency commission as a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF Medical Branch 22 May 1947. Service number was 204390. Page 2847 | Supplement 37993, 20 June 1947 | London Gazette | The Gazette

Regards,

Dave

 

Hi alieneyes Dave, and Wg Cdr Luddite,
I am new to all this . . .
Thank you both so much for that input and the links. I had spent a long time trying to find them myself in the Gazette, but no luck - is there a trick? or just persistence!
Also do Service Numbers have nothing to do with NCO numbers? Can they help research what the NCOs did?

Lastly does it mean that my dad was not 'registered' after his joining up in 1939, and was 'kept on the back burner' as an inactive member of the RAF while he was qualifying as a Dr. to be called up for RAFVR / BAFO 2 yrs after the end of the war
Thanks again
Philip

 

I have just reread my last msg. I guess I mean
1) What can the Service and NCO numbers reveal?
2) Is there a way of finding out if my dad DID @sidn uo@ in '39 and if so what did the RAF get him to do until '47?

 

@sidn uo@ = "sign on" - sorry keyboard flipped

 

Hi Philip,

The London Gazette is a tricky beast but nowhere as horrible as the Canada Gazette is.

With the LG, the scanning sometimes didn't pick up the number 1 and, instead, recorded it as the letter i.

I always look for the NCO number first. It's imperative to confirm that you have the right man.

In your dad's case, there is no previous number shown in his 1947 LG entry. This would indicate that, as the LG says, he was awarded a commission.

You have enough info now to obtain both your parents service files. More things to be unlocked there. Get a copy of military records of service: Apply for the records of a deceased serviceperson - GOV.UK

Regards,

Dave

 

Thanks Dave.
You are right, I do have all necessary info.
Now for the wait.

BTW I would like to find firstly the maps relating to 5RIDG's progress across Normandy from 18/7/44 to initially 1/9/44 and how to decode the references/coordinates they contain.
I am not sure in which part of the forum I should post this question.
Would you have any suggestions.
? British Army Other units ?

with thanks in advance
Philip

 

Hi,

You’ll likely need the unit war diary to get the map coordinates to compare to wartime maps.

There are very few WD on Ancestry. Contact Drew5233 or Gary Tankard as both offer a look up and copy service at UK National Archives for a fraction of the price National Archives wound charge.

Once you have the diaries - they may even contain some maps - you need to go on to McMaster University site and look for the maps.

WWII Topographic Map Series | McMaster University Libraries

Steve

 

As an aside, a good insight to women in the RAF is Squadron Leader Beryl Escott's "Women in Air Force Blue" from 1918 to the published date of 1989.

A very good reference source with contributions from those who served, giving the background to the recruitment of women to serve within the RFC and RNAS prior to the formation of the RAF in April 1918.

 

Thanks for the book info. I have both on the way.
Do you or does anyone following this thread, know if there is any access to the actual maps used during the Normandy campaigns. How otherwise to decipher where various positions were?