Offered is a boxed unworn set of medals to a female officer who served with the A.T.S. in Africa & Italy during WW2 and into the 1950’s.
1939 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star & War Medal 1939-45, all un named as issued comes with original box addressed to E.Waring in Denbighshire. 1939 Census, London Gazette & Officers list 1945. First two stars look to be the 1960’s as issued types.
The WW2 service records have yet to be digitalised, however it known that Elizabeth Agnes Hallows Waring was born on the 27/1/1916 in Kent. In 1939 she was living in Blyth Rd Suffolk and was a member of the VAD.
She was emergency commissioned in the A.T.S. as of the 26/3/1943. In 1951 she was granted a commission with the rank of Lt & honorary rank of Captain.
Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), was formed in September 1938. Its roles were initially limited to cooks, clerks, orderlies, storekeepers and drivers. However, the jobs available were gradually broadened as demand for personnel increased. At the outbreak of the Second World War, 300 ATS members were billeted to France. As the German Army advanced through France, the British Expeditionary Force was driven back towards the English Channel. This led to the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk in May 1940, and some ATS telephonists were among the last British personnel to leave the country
Women were barred from serving in battle, but due to shortages of men, ATS members, as well as members of the other women's voluntary services, took over many support tasks, such as radar operators, forming part of the crews of anti-aircraft guns and military police. However, these roles were not without risk, and there were, according to the Imperial War Museum, 717 casualties during World War II. By 1943, about 56,000 women were serving with anti-aircraft units, although they were still not allowed to fire the guns. Women were also now allowed to serve in all theatres of war with the ATS.
By 1943 the ATS represented 10 per cent of the Royal Corps of Signals, having taken over the major part of the signal office and operating duties in the War Office and Home Commands, and ATS companies were sent to work on the lines of communications of active overseas theatres.
A nice WW2 medal group to a commissioned female soldier who saw service in North Africa & Italy during the war.
