A memorial to women who served in the Royal Air Force has been dedicated during a service at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Designed by Andy DeComyn, the The Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) Memorial was funded following a campaign by veterans and current military personnel.
It was dedicated at the service in Alrewas on 23rd October.
Sylvia Walker, who led the efforts to install the memorial, said:
“I was so saddened to discover the lack of a memorial when I attended the RAF Centenary Service in 2018 and immediately determined to do something about it.
“This memorial has been a long time coming, and is a magnificent tribute to all of the women who served in the WRAF.
“The stunning final design by the incredibly talented Andy DeComyn incorporates many different ideas suggested by our committee.
“When we first saw the design we were blown away because he’d captured the very essence of being a WRAF – the friendship and the camaraderie that reaches across the years.
“We also hope the women who currently serve in the RAF will embrace it as part of their history.”
Sylvia Walker
The first incarnation of the WRAF was formed at the end of the First World War in 1918, where women were deployed at home and overseas in a variety of invaluable support roles, including as nurses, drivers and administrative staff.
The organisation was disbanded after just two years, but was reformed in 1949 to give women the chance to enlist in regular service.
The WRAF was eventually amalgamated into the RAF in 1994, finally giving the women the same terms and pay as men.
