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Black & White Photograph of 11 Australian Women’s Army Service Personnel and Major Vaughan at Princess Royal Fortress

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1943

Overview

Black and white photograph of 11 Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) women in uniform and Major Vaughan (seated in front row) at Princess Royal Fortress.

Historical information

The establishment of the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) on 13 August 1941 was to release men from certain military duties for service with fighting units. Women between the ages of 18 and 45 were recruited and served in a variety of roles including clerks, typists, cooks and drivers.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2009.9.3

Item type

Photographs

Themes

Defence > Army

Material

Photographic Paper

Width

217 mm

Height or length

161 mm

Weight

12 g

Inscriptions and markings

Handwritten on rear in black ink – “Shortly after our arival at Albany. These are the first girls / The first girls to be quartered in a mens camp./ The very first 5 are in the front row – omitting the one on left. / X A. NEWMAN / (NOACK)”

Names listed below by signature - “FC Vaughan Major / x Pat Doddson Gnr / x Mona Pearson Gnr. Lesley Kench Gnr. / Joan Prout Gnr. / Irene Bowyer Gnr. / Bell Chambers / x Carmel Kehoe / x Iris Winthrop / Betty Prout Gnr”

Contextual Information

Group portrait photograph shows 11 AWAS personnel serving with the heavy Artillery, Albany Fixed Defences. Major Vaughan, seated in the centre front row was the commanding officer of the Princess Royal Fortress in Albany. L/Bdr NOACK is seated front row far right.

Left To Right, Back Row:- Gunners L.M. PROUT, I. BOWYER, J. V. PROUT, A.M. NOACK, L. KENCH; Front Row:- Gunners A.M. ARCHER, M. PEARSON, I.M. WINTHROP; Major F.C.M. VAUGHAN, Commanding Officer; Gunners C.C. KEHOE, P.G. DODSON, and B. CHAMBERS.

Keywords

Australian Womens Army Service

Princess Royal Fortress

Place made

Albany, Western Australia, Australia

Year

1943

Primary significance criteria