A POIGNANT service at the Yorkshire Air Museum near York has honoured the role of women within the Armed Forces.

Women’s Services Memorial Day focused upon the 70th Anniversary of the formation of the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC) in 1949.

Colonel Alison Brown, Vice President of the WRAC Association, attended the ceremony, taking the salute from the parade following the wreath laying ceremony in the Women’s Memorial Garden, where she laid the wreath on behalf of the association.

Museum spokesman Ian Richardson said the role of women within the forces had evolved from behind the scenes to a rightful place on the frontline.

“Our Women’s Memorial Garden where the Wreath Laying ceremony took place is one of only three dedicated tributes to the service of women in the country,” he said. “It was in fact the first, established in 2003, well ahead of the WAAF Memorial in London and one at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire, which is something we are very proud of here at Elvington.”

He said the Parade comprised of members of various women’s service associations, including the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, the Women’s Royal Air Force, the Women’s Royal Naval Service, Royal British Legion Women’s Section, Women’s Royal Army Corps and Auxiliary Territorial Service.

He said the Standards of the WAAF Association and the Durham and East Yorkshire RBL Women’s Section were presented, along with the RBL County Standard, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight supported the event with a spectacular flypast by a Hawker Hurricane WWII fighter, flown by Squadron Leader Mark Discombe, which roared in under the looming clouds, providing a moody background to the aircraft’s camouflage colourings.