WOMEN’S ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARMY CORPS WRAAC 1951-1984 

The origin of the Corps was in 1941 with the formation of the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) which was formed with the intention of having its members replace male members who could be then placed in more warlike employment, although many women served as gunners in anti aircraft units. The AWAS were disbanded in 1947.

WRAAC 

​The emergence of the cold war and the threat of conflicts in Malaya and Korea the Australian Army was seriously undermanned.  National Service was introduced in 1950 and special recruiting campaigns were initiated.  Cabinet gave approval in 1950 for the raising of a women’s Corps within the Australian Military Forces (AMF) to be briefly known as Australian Women’s Army Corps (AWAC) before Women’s Australian Army Corps was formally announced on 5 April 1951.  Two months later King George VI granted the addition of ‘Royal’ in recognition of the wartime contributions of the women’s services.

AIM AND FUNCTION OF THE WRAAC

The aim of the WRAAC was to develop a nucleus for expansion in time of war and its function was to enlist women to replace men in suitable duties, this released men for training and other duties required in the preparation for war.

 WRAAC personnel were allotted to units to fill vacancies in establishment and to replace men.  WRAAC could be promoted within the unit provided the necessary vacancy existed.  WRAAC members posted to male units remained a member of the WRAAC and did not become members of the unit to which they were posted.

ADMINISTRATION

To Provide for the control and admin in matters affecting WRAAC personnel, Officers, Warrant Officers and Non Commissioned Officers were appointed.  In certain units which did not have a WRAAC Officer a Senior NCO was appointed to administer WRAAC members of the unit.  WRAAC members served as General Duty women, Mess Stewardesses, Cooks, Draftswomen, Clerks, Typists, Store women, Instructors, Drivers, Signal Operators, Psychologists, Coders, Librarians and Projectionists.

DISCIPLINE

​Matters pertaining solely to women were dealt with by female Officers and Senior NCOs.  If it was necessary for a charge to be heard by a male Officer a female Officer, Warrant Officer or Senior NCO would be present and available for consultation during the hearing of the charge.
In all matters pertaining to male and female personnel there was co-operation between WRAAC admin staff and the Commander and male staff concerned at all levels.  This was essential for the efficient running of the Corps.

TRAINING

Recruit training was initially carried out by a training Platoon in Eastern and Southern Commands but was centralised at Lonsdale Blight Military Camp, Point Lonsdale, Victoria, July 1951.  By July 1953 WRAAC was established at Crows Nest Military Camp, Queenscliff for training.  Officer Cadet training began July 1952 with the opening of WRAAC School at the Commonwealth Immigration Centre at Mildura, Victoria.  WRAAC School later transferred to George’s Heights, Sydney, NSW.

WRAAC CITIZEN MILITARY FORCES (CMF)/ARMY RESERVE (ARES) VICTORIA  

​The introduction of the WRAAC into the Citizen Military Forces for part time training was approved in December 1951; however recruiting did not begin until June 1953.  WRAAC CMF/ARes proved to be a fruitful recruiting ground for members to experience Army life and many transferred to the Regular Army to continue their Military careers.
 Initially the Establishment allowed for the raising of two companies in North, East and Southern Command (when required).  Apparently there was a realisation that the small number of WRAAC regular force would not achieve the aim of providing a trained nucleus for quick expansion in time of war whereby women would take over administration tasks performed by their male counterparts, thereby releasing more males for combat duties.
The Company in Victoria was raised as 8 WRAAC Coy.  The change of name to 3 WRAAC Coy came about with the general Army re-organisation in 1960; also the establishment strength was lowered to 103 members at this time.  At that time 8 WRAAC Coy was one of a few units within the Command which was almost up to strength.
Up to the time of disbandment in 1976, the WRAAC Corps was 3 WRAAC Coy.  All females (with exception of Nursing which had enlistment into 3 RAANC Copy) were enlisted into the WRAAC Company, where the first year of engagement was confined to the basic training of recruits – the Company NCOs and Officers conducted all training.
On completion of recruit training, members were sent to a “male” CMF unit for trade training during the second and subsequent years of CMF service.  Such trades included – Catering, Signals, Transport, Intelligence and Clerical with some members remaining or returning to the unit as instructors or administrative roles within the WRAAC unit.
All promotion training of the Other Ranks members was also carried out by the WRAAC Coy, originally with the officers attending the coaching courses conducted with the CMF/ARes and later in the early seventies our members were enlisted in Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU) and attended the same officer training as the males.  This began the pattern for same training male/female.
Between its formation in 1953 and its disbandment in 1976, firstly as 8 WRAAC Coy and then the renamed 3 WRAAC Coy, over 800 women served within Victoria.  Members serving at the time of disbandment were transferred to “male units” and from thereon enlistment into units/Corps was the same as for the males except for a few areas where females are not able to serve, e.g. direct combat roles.
From the AWAS (Australian Women’s Army Service in WWII) to the WRAAC Company and now with the opportunities to serve in the recent areas of Bougainville, East Timor, Malaysia, Iraq, the progression for female opportunities has been in line with the civilian world of the female.