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Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (PMRAFNS) is the nursing branch of the British Royal Air Force. It was established as the Royal Air Force Temporary Nursing Service in 1918 and became part of the permanent establishment as the Royal Air Force Nursing Service on 27 January 1921. It received the royal prefix after Princess Mary agreed to become its Patron in June 1923.
It was a women-only branch until 1980, when men were also permitted to join. Until the Second World War it was only open to unmarried women or childless widows. There was also a Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service Reserve to supplement the service in emergencies.
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The initial ranking system used by the PMRAFNS was as follows.
| PMRAFNS rank | Equivalent RAF rank (from 1943) |
| Staff Nurse[1] | |
| Sister | Flying Officer |
| Senior Sister[2] | Flight Lieutenant |
| Matron | Squadron Leader |
| Principal Matron[3] | Wing Commander |
| Chief Principal Matron[4] | Group Captain |
| Matron-in-Chief | Air Commodore |
From 1 June 1943 PMRAFNS personnel were granted emergency commissions and wore rank insignia corresponding to their equivalent RAF rank. On 1 February 1949 the women's forces were integrated into the armed forces and a new ranking system was introduced, although professional titles were still used on the wards.
| PMRAFNS rank | Equivalent RAF rank |
| Flying Officer | Flying Officer |
| Flight Officer | Flight Lieutenant |
| Squadron Officer | Squadron Leader |
| Wing Officer | Wing Commander |
| Group Officer | Group Captain |
| Air Commandant | Air Commodore |
| Air Chief Commandant[5] | Air Vice-Marshal |
Other Ranks were introduced in 1956. They held standard RAF ranks. Officers used the separate ranking system until 1980, when they too adopted RAF ranks.
- Joanna Cruickshank, 1918–1930
- Katherine Watt, 1930–1938
- Dame Emily Blair, 1938–1943
- Gladys Taylor, 1943–1948
- Air Commandant Dame Helen Cargill, 1948–1952
- Air Commandant Dame Roberta Whyte, 1952–1956
- Air Commandant Dame Alice Williamson, 1956–1959
- Air Commandant Dame Alice Lowrey, 1959–1963
- Air Commandant Dame Veronica Ashworth, 1963–1966
- Air Commandant Dame Pauline Giles, 1966–1970
- Air Commandant Ann McDonald, 1970–1972
- Air Commandant Barbara Ducat-Amos, 1972–1978
- Air Commodore J. Metcalfe, 1978–1981
- Air Commodore Joy Harris, 1981–1984
- Air Commodore A. A. Reed, 1984–1985
- Group Captain M. M. Shaw, 1985–1988
- Group Captain E. A. I. Sandison, 1988–1991
- Group Captain Ethnea Hancock, 1991–1994
- Air Commodore V. M. Hand, 1994–1997
- Air Commodore Bob Williams, 1997–
- Group Captain Annie Reid
- Group Captain Jackie Gross
- Group Captain Wendy Williams
- ^ Phased out during the Second World War.
- ^ Initially called Superintending Sister, but renamed after a few years.
- ^ Introduced later than other ranks.
- ^ Introduced later than other ranks, possibly not until the Second World War.
- ^ An honorary rank held only by Princess Mary (7 October 1950) and Princess Alexandra (1 November 1966).
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| Formations and units | Commands • Groups • Stations • Wings • Aircraft squadrons • Aircraft flights |  |
| Components | Royal Auxiliary Air Force • RAF Volunteer Reserve • RAF Regiment • RAF Police • Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service | |
| History | History of the Royal Air Force • Timeline of the Royal Air Force | |
| Aircraft | List of RAF aircraft | |
| Personnel and uniform | Officer ranks • Other ranks • Uniform | |