The Changing of Altitudes

The Stories of Australian Air Force Women

The Australian Air Campaign Series - 9

 

Royal Australian Air Force

Newport, NSW: Big Sky Publishing, 2024

Paperback      240pp      RRP: $29.99

 

Reviewer: Neville Taylor, November 2024

 

Since 2020 when The Australian Air Campaign Series was launched it has covered five miliary campaigns: Middle East, the Battle for the Atlantic, Korea, the Malayan Emergency and Vietnam (twice). Air Vice Marshall Read’s biography and First Nation Aviators round out prior publications. Now a selection of the personal careers of women in the Air Force grouped decade-by-decade extending from 1940 to the present-day has been launched as the latest in the Series.

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A timeline readily enables the reader to keep abreast of the organisations, name changes and roles affecting Air Force women:

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1939                Women’s Air Training Corps (WATC) formed in Queensland

1940 – 77        Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS)

1941    – 47     Women’s Auxiliary Australian Airforce

1950 – 77        Women’s Royal Australian Air Force (WRAAF)

1977                Royal Australian Air Force (RAAFNS and WRAAF integrated into RAAF)

1978                Received same pay as male counterparts

1987                Women as pilot or aircrew on non-combat aircraft

1992                Women as aircrew on combat aircraft

2011                Removal of all gender restrictions from ADF combat roles

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Each decade commences with an Introduction before individuals’ brief biography and service record and achievements follow. There is a wide spread of personnel – from leading aircraftwoman to air-vice marshal. Interspersed throughout the decades are key topics of interest such as the White Australis Policy, Air Force bands, Second World War recruiting imagery, the Vietnam War, changes in society’s attitudes and policy affecting Air Force women, evolution of women’s uniform, women killed in service and sport and service.  

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The text comes from interviews and transcripts based on the subject’s own recollections. A major feature of the text is the very generous photographic coverage in both black and white and colour plates. Acknowledgment must be made of the excellent work by the five contributors – Air Commodore Dearing AM, Squadron Leader Williams, Flight Lieutenant Markwell, Flight Lieutenant Earl and Ms Rosalind Turner.

 

The RUSI – Vic Library is most grateful to the publisher for making this work available for review.