Unknown WW1 women's uniform (WAAC?)

[glennr]

Hi,

I'm not entirely sure whether the women pictured (and thought to be at a NZ camp in the UK - maybe Codford, Sling, or Brocton?), are in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corp. The white collars have thrown me. I thought the WAAC uniform were dark collars. Also not sure what the double chevron signifies, nor the other upper sleeve badges that two of the women wear. Can someone confirm the uniform?

Thanks

Glenn

[Gardenerbill]

Due to the way orthochromic film of the time renders colours, the armbands may not actually be white.

[glennr]

[HERITAGE PLUS]

I stand to be corrected, as I am no expert,  but I believe that only women holding the ranks of Forewoman and Assistant Forewoman in WAAC/QMAAC wore arm insignia of rank on the right arm.

Dave

 

[KizmeRD]

NZVS (New Zealand Volunteer Sisterhood)???

MB

[royalredcross]

They certainly look like QMAAC.  Worker's collars brown but Forewomen wore light collars.  The armband possibly blue and white which could signify signals. 

[CorporalPunishment]

Yes, WAAC/QMAAC. The girl on the right at the rear is wearing what looks to be the cloth slip-on shoulder titles.       Pete.

[MBrockway]

I seem to recall some discussion about Kiwis and QMAAC/WAACs at Rugeley Camp on Cannock Chase following on from this 1919 picture of 1/KRRC Sergeants' Mess there with some WAACs posted by Pal Drew-1918 ...

This was in the Postcard topic and is spread over several pages with much unrelated material in between.  My identification of 1/KRRC begins here

I think there was speculation that the 'dimples' in the hat of the WAAC sitting on the RSM's LHS were imitating the Kiwis who had been at Rugeley Camp earlier in the war.

There are some good zoomed-in detailed versions further on in the topic ...

 

Could be worth investigating 5th (Reserve) Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade.  They had made a big positive impact on the local community during their residence at Rugeley Camp from Sep 1917 to June 1919

See this post here

Mark

Edited 18 September , 2022 by MBrockway
Added missing picture credit - apologies for oversight

[Matlock1418]

On 13/09/2022 at 07:20, glennr said:

not sure what the double chevron signifies

To me they rather look like late war overseas service chevrons [given orthochromic film foibles I would fairly confidently suggest they were blue in colour -12 months and a day, but less than 24 months and a day, would typically qualify men for two of these inverted chevrons]

M

[MBrockway]

On 14/09/2022 at 11:20, royalredcross said:

They certainly look like QMAAC.  Worker's collars brown but Forewomen wore light collars.  The armband possibly blue and white which could signify signals. 

I agree.

See the watercolour in the IWM collection by Beatrice Lithiby - Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps Signallers, Base Hill, Rouen : Telephones. Forewoman Milnes and Captain Pope (Cat Ref Art.IWM ART 2900) painted approx Spring/Summer 1919.
 

IWM Catalogue entry here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/16867

 

By the nature of small watercolour (the complete picture is only 12" x 18"), the forewoman rank badge on Milnes's upper arm is rather stylized.  The badge is a rose within a laurel wreath.  There's a good example on the British Badge Forum here   (membership required to view images)

 

Mark

 

© IWM Art.IWM ART 2900, Imperial War Museums

[MBrockway]

6 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

To me they rather look like late war overseas service chevrons [given orthochromic film foibles I would fairly confidently suggest they were blue in colour -12 months and a day, but less than 24 months and a day, would typically qualify men for two of these inverted chevrons]

M

Authorized under Army Order 4 of 1918.

According to the Mother Site (LLT) eligible units definitely included the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (QMAAC from April 1918) - see here

As you say, they would be blue in colour.  The red chevron was only issued to those who had gone out in 1914, which for WAAC/QMACC would be impossible.

Mark