Original real photographic postcard. The WAAF was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during WW2 and was established in 1939. Initially, members of the WAAF were recruited to fill posts as clerks, kitchen orderlies and drivers, in order to release men for front-line duties. However, the occupations open to women recruits diversified as the war progressed. Women in the WAAF were involved in telephony, telegraphy and the interception of codes and ciphers, including at the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park. They were mechanics, engineers, electricians and fitters for aeroplanes. They undertook the interpretation of aerial photographs and provided weather reports. Many members of the WAAF worked in the radar control system as reporters and plotters. Their work was vital during the Battle of Britain and later in guiding night-fighter aeroplanes against German bombers. One of the hardest jobs in the WAAF was the operation of balloons sites. This involved raising and lowering the barrage balloons, which were designed to deter enemy bombers. There were doubts over whether women would have the physical strength or stamina as the balloons were 66 feet long and 30 feet high when inflated. But so successful were the initial volunteers that women eventually ran more than 1, 000 barrage balloon sites throughout Britain. Source: BBC WW2 People's War. WAAFs did not serve as aircrew. The use of women pilots was limited to the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), which was civilian. Although they did not participate in active combat, they were exposed to the same dangers as any on the "home front" working at military installations. Source: Wikipedia
