Duty Calls

07/01/2024

• W.A.V.E.S •

On July 30, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Navy Women’s Reserve Act into law, creating what was commonly known as the W.A.V.E.S (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).

The fashion designer Mainbocher designed uniforms for the W.A.V.E.S, the Navy's newly formed division for women. Volunteering his expertise as a service to his country, Mainbocher created three different standard uniform designs for the W.A.V.E.S and S.P.A.R.S.

One former WAVE described her uniform as “the best piece of clothing I think I ever had.” There was certainly something so classy about those uniforms.

The W.A.V.E.S, despite being a Naval organisation, was not all about boats and paperwork. Twenty-three thousand WAVES served in the aviation field during World War II. Enlisted WAVES served on naval air stations as aviation machinist mates, parachute riggers, photographers, aviation metalsmiths, aerographer’s mates, gunnery instructors, radiomen, control tower operators, and pigeon trainers.

They also served as Link trainer instructors, teaching pilots aerial navigation in small cockpit simulators. Eighty members of the WAVES served as air navigation officers on Naval Air Transport Service flights in the United States, Aleutian Islands, and Hawaii after Congress passed legislation allowing WAVES to volunteer for service in Hawaii and Alaska in September 1944.

05/01/2024

6th Ranger battalion camp. Philippines, January 1945. An American Red Cross volunteer pictured alongside 6th Ranger troops.

6th Rangers were responsible and best known for their successful raid at Cabanatuan, Philippines in January, 1945. During the raid, Rangers rescued 511 POWs.

Alamo Scouts and Filipino guerrillas accompanied the 6th Ranger force, and provided reconnaissance and flank protection. Two Rangers were sadly killed during the evacuation.

Officers were awarded the Silver Star for their efforts during this time and the enlisted men were awarded the Bronze Star.

These images are from The Victory Show in 2022. Darby's Rangers LHA did an amazing job with the recreation of the wooden based pyramidal and won best display at the show that year.

Thank you to WJM Photography for the images.

01/01/2024

Happy New Year to all! 🥂

25/12/2023

🎄Wishing a very Merry Christmas to all of you on this festive day. Thank you all for supporting the start of the page this year - I look forward to sharing more with you next year. 🎄

I thought i’d share a few original photos for you - mostly Women’s Army Corps and some American Red Cross too. 🎅🏻

05/12/2023

Recently myself and members of Darbys Rangers LHA attended the GI Jive, held at the former RAF Officers Mess, Hemswell Court, Lincolnshire.

During the Second World War, Hemswell was the home of the RAF and the Lancaster Bomber. You may also recognise the former Officers Mess from the Dambusters film.

The Sunday afternoon was spent exploring Hemswell Antiques Centre just across the road. Definitely worth a visit! An excellent weekend all-round.

04/12/2023

Woman’s Place in War • Women’s Army Corps

17/11/2023

Original WAC stationary kit. One of the favourite smaller items within the collection.
Very patriotic colours, all in the theme of Victory!

03/11/2023

27/10/2023

Testing some footlocker setups. Enlisted personnel were expected to live out of a duffle bag when overseas however, some of us don’t always wish to portray an officer. It’s nice to show the history and life of enlisted WACs too! (Items are mostly original with a handful of repros such as socks, t-shirt, gum and tooth brush.)

25/10/2023

Original Army Nurse Corps beige summer uniform - the revised pattern.

In 1943, a revised beige service uniform was introduced. The same pattern as for the olive-drab uniform. Like on the previous version, the sleeves were trimmed with maroon braid and the epaulettes had a maroon piping. A maroon tie also replaced the black tie worn with the previous version of the summer uniform.

The beige dress uniform was worn with a matching beige visored cap or an overseas style cap with maroon piping. Later, the nurses were provided with a beige garrison cap with gold-black officer's piping.

I was rather lucky to have found my hat with it’s original rain cover, both made by Knox of New York.

24/10/2023

Some of the smaller, more personal items collected over the years. I tend to do a footlocker display at most events and including some of these original items really adds to the authenticity of the setup.
It’s so easy to buy reproduction items these days but you can often find originals at the same price, if not less.

11/10/2023

Some more snaps from the Battle Of Britain airshow at Duxford. Looking forward to the 'Flying Finale' this weekend. The final airshow of the season.

08/10/2023

Ft. Des Moines t-shirts are back in! After the trial run of our take on the design sold out, I’m pleased to say that we will be continuing to produce the t-shirts.

A project that has been going on behind the scenes for a while as there were none to be found in the UK or Europe.

Details to be announced in the coming weeks. 😊

08/10/2023

A flight nurse scenario put together by friends with their original stretcher at this years The Victory Show. Photograph by the excellent WARTOG 📷

The Victory Show 2023 by WARTOG.

06/10/2023

A WAC maintenance scenario on a GMC 353 at this years Great Central Railway event back in June. You’ll usually find ‘Ground Pounder’ the GMC over with the Red Ball Express 🔴

04/10/2023

A set of flight nurse and ACW snaps from the recent Battle Of Britain airshow at Duxford. Photographs by the fantastic SyrensStudio 📷

05/09/2023

• Join the WAC! •
This was the first display portraying a WAC recruitment scenario at The Victory Show in Cosby, Leicestershire over the weekend. We attended alongside Darby's Rangers LHA. I took quite a bit of my personal collection along with me to try and show some of the smaller, lesser-known details. A fantastic weekend all-round. 🇺🇸