Women's services in World War 2 - What women did and were paid

Investigating the reality -- what women did and were paid

Look at the range of jobs and rates of pay (see tables lower on this page).

1. What Air Force type jobs or occupations are women not doing?

2. Compare the jobs actually being done with the image in the advertisements. Do you think the advertisements are fair?

3. Compare the rates of pay for women with equivalent males in the RAAF. Describe the difference. Why do you think this difference existed?

4. A common advertisement of the day called on women to join the services to do 'a real job - a man's job'. Do you think women in the services did men's jobs?


WAAAF occupations
Occupation	Number of WAAAFs
*Group 1* Draughtswoman, laboratory technician, Link trainer instructress, meteorological assistant, X-ray technician	63
*Group 2* Armourer, cinema operator, dental mechanic, fabric worker, flight mechanic, flight rigger, hygiene inspector, instrument repairer, painter, photographer, radar operator, telegraphist, wireless assistant	2,643
*Group 3* Accounting machine operator, caterer, clerk general, clerk pay, clerk stores, cypher assistant, dental orderly, driver motor transport, equipment assistant, fabric worker's assistant, hairdresser, meteorological charter, nursing orderly, postal assistant, recorder, tailoress	6,226
*Group 4* Canteen stewardess, clerk, clerk librarian, clerk medical assistant, clerk signals, clerk stores assistant, radio telephony operator, service policewoman, sick quarter attendant, telephone operator, teleprinter operator, tracer under officer disciplinary	4,273
*Group 5* Aircrafthand, anti-gas instructress, armament assistant, cook's assistant, drill instructress, gardener, office orderly, postal orderly, stewardess, storeshand, trainee	4,115

WAAAF and RAAF officers (equivalent rank) daily rates of pay (in shillings/pence)

WAAAF officer	Pay	RAAF officer	Pay
Asst. Section Officer	12/4	Pilot Officer	18/6
Section Officer	13/6	Flying Officer	20/-
Flight Officer	17/-	Flight Lieutenant	25/-
Squadron Officer	19/6	Squadron Leader	32/6
Wing Officer	22/-	Wing Commander	38/-
Group Officer	24/6	Group Captain	47/6

WAAAF and RAAF other ranks (equivalent rank) daily rates of pay (shillings/pence) for different occupation groups

WAAAF occupation	Pay	RAAF occupation	Pay
Group 1	6/8	Group 1	12/-
Group 2	6/8	Group 2	10/6
Group 3	6/-	Group 3	9/-
Group 4	5/-	Group 4	7/6
Group 5	4/4	Group 5	6/6

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