Royal Australian Air Force, The Changing of Altitudes: Stories of Australian Air Force Women

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 Marshal 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.

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

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 Air Force

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

Each decade commences with an introduction before individual’s 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.

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.

Reviewed for RUSIV by Neville Taylor