Women's Royal Army Corps - History

History

The WRAC was formed on 1 February 1949 by Army Order 6 as the successor to the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) that had been founded in 1938. For much of its existence, its members performed administrative and other support tasks, but later they began to be attached to other corps, including the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. In the 1980s, married members of the WRAC that had husbands serving with 17/21L were posted to serve within the Regiment as members of the QM Staff, they participated in large exercises in the field. Other WRAC personnel served with the Royal Signals and Royal Army Ordnance Corps as integrated unit members.

In 1974, two soldiers of the corps were killed by the Provisional IRA in the Guildford pub bombings.

On 6 April 1992, the WRAC was disbanded and its members transferred to the appropriate corps of the army, signalling full integration of women into non-combat roles. This was not greeted with enthusiasm by all members of the WRAC, particularly the more senior officers and NCOs, who felt that advancement would be more difficult if they had to compete on an equal basis with men. This was in some ways partly justified as the post of Director WRAC, which carried the rank of Brigadier, was abolished and it was seven years before a woman, Brigadier Patricia Purves, again reached that rank. Officially, since a majority of its members had been administrative personnel, the WRAC amalgamated into the new Adjutant General's Corps.

Their training depot was at the WRAC Centre, Queen Elizabeth Park, Guildford in Surrey.