page_title: Canadian women in the World Wars
section_title: Canadian Women's Auxiliary Air Force and RCAF Women's Division
hierarchical_section_title: Canadian women in the World Wars / Second World War / Canadian Women's Auxiliary Air Force and RCAF Women's Division
caption_attribution_description: Royal Canadia Air Force Women's Division (WD) recruiting poster. Title: She serves that men may fly&#160;: Enlist today in the R.C.A.F.
context_page_description: Canadian women in the World Wars became indispensable because the World Wars were total wars that required the maximum effort of the civilian population. While Canadians were deeply divided on the issue of conscription for men, there was wide agreement that women had important new roles to play in the home, in civic life, in industry, in nursing, and even in military uniforms. Historians debate whether there was much long-term impact on the postwar roles of women.
context_section_description: The Canadian Women's Auxiliary Air Force (CWAAF) was formed in 1941 as an element of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Changing to the Women's Division (WD) in 1942, this unit was formed to take over positions that would allow more men to participate in combat and training duties. The original 1941 order-in-council authorized "the formation of a component of the Royal Canadian Air Force to be known as the Canadian Women's Auxiliary Air Force, its function being to release to heavier duties those members of the RCAF employed in administrative, clerical and other comparable types of service employment." Among the many jobs carried out by WD personnel, they became clerks, drivers, fabric workers, hairdressers, hospital assistants, instrument mechanics, parachute riggers, photographers, air photo interpreters, intelligence officers, instructors, weather observers, pharmacists, wireless operators, and Service Police. Although the Women's Division was discontinued in 1946 after wartime service, women were not permitted to enter the RCAF until 1951.
  According to the RCAF the following are the requirements of an enlisted woman:
  Must be at least 18 years of age, and younger than 41 years of age
  Must be of medical category A4B (equivalent of A1)
  Must be equal to or over 5 feet (152 cm), and fall within the appropriate weight for her height, not being too far above or below the standard
  Must have a minimum education of entrance into high school
  Be able to pass the appropriate trades test
  Be of good character with no record of conviction for an indictable offence
  Women would not be considered for enlistment:
  If they hold permanent Civil Service appointments
  If they are married women who have children dependent on them for care and upbringing (i.e. Sons under 16 years and daughters under 18 years)
  On July 2, 1941, the Women's Division of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was created. By the end of the war it totalled some 17,000 members. The RCAF did not train their female recruits to be flying instructors or combatants, although their direct spirit of participation is best described by the division's slogan, "We serve that men may fly". They were initially trained for clerical, administrative and support roles. As the war continued, however, women would also work in other positions like parachute riggers and laboratory assistants, and even in the very male-dominated electrical and mechanical trades. Many RCAF-WD members were sent to Great Britain to serve with Canadian squadrons and headquarters there.
caption: A 1941 Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division recruiting poster
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