WRAF Officer Service Dress Cap

An excellent early post war example of an Officers pattern Women's Royal Air Force SD cap that are becoming increasingly difficult to find. This one is particularly interesting as sewn inside the plastic covering the makers label is a name card detailing the original owner as Flight Officer F. H. Wilson and below Womens Royal Air Force. This more or less covers the makers label but from the small part we can see we believe indicates the cap was made by Moss Bros of Covent Garden, London.

We have carried out limited research on the original owner and it seems possible she served during WWII as we have identified a WAAF Corporal F. H. Wilson who was notified as being wounded in action by Communique 436 and this was reconfirmed by an entry in 'Flight' of 26th August 1944. She then surfaces again on 22nd May 1950 as Flying Officer Wilson service number 2089639, when she was appointed as Assistant to the Provost Marshall. In November 1956, she is still assisting the Provost Marshall of the RAF. This position was first created in 1920, and had responsibility for the RAF Police; by the end of WWII, the strength of the RAF had reached 1.2 million personnel and the RAF Police had 500 commissioned officers, including 55 from the WAAF. Our research indicated the position was held by Air Commodore H. J. G. E. Proud from 1954 – 1956 and he was succeeded by Commodore W. I. G Kerby who became Provost Marshall during 1956, so both would have been Flight Officer Wilson's Boss 63 years ago. Her final promotion, still in the Provost Branch, is dated 1st January 1958 when she took the rank of Flight Office and she finally retitred from the RAF on 25th June 1963.

In view of the promotions detailed above and the rank shown on the label this cap would appear to date from around 1958 but despite its age it remains in remakably good issued condition. The cloth is generally very clean, with just a minor snag under the visor. The cap band carries a period Kings Crown RAF badge, showing minor age wear, as do the chin strap retaining buttons. Inside the lining shows normal wear, as you would expect. No size is marked but the physical measurement taken inside the hat band is 21.25" circumference or 54 cm. In summary this is an early post war example in above the average condition and with the added benefit of known provenance that is worthy of further research.