Summary: Film of a reception at St James's Palace on March 19 1959, accompanied by voice-over commentary by one of the WRAFs who attended. The event commemorates the tenth anniversary of the integration of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service and the Women's Royal Air Force into the RAF.
Description: More than 600 officers, NCOs, civilians and associates from other services attend the reception. The RAF School of Catering prepares a cake bearing the crests of all the RAF Commands. Officer cadet from Hawkinge and recruit from Wilmslow display silver compacts which are gifts for the royal guests. An illustrious stream of guests arrive: Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Tuckable (?), Dame Helena Wimborne, Lady Trenchard, Air Marshal Sir Dermot Royle (?) (Chief of Air Staff), George Ward MP (Secretary of State for War), Air Chief Marshals MacFadyen, Sir Harry Broadhurst, Sir Thomas Pike and their wives; Air Marshals Sir Arthur Macdonald, Sir Hugh Constantine, Sir Geoffrey Huddlestone, Sir Patrick Lee Potter and their wives; and Air Vice Marshals Knight and Scoggins with their wives. The Queen Mother arrives, greeted by Sir Dermot Royle and the Duchess of Gloucester; inside, she admires the cake. Dame Henrietta Barnett (Air Commandant of WRAF) thanks HRH for attending and asks her and the Duchess to accept compacts. Matron in Chief, Air Commandant Dame Alice Williamson, expresses sadness at the indisposition of the Princess Royal. Queen Mother cuts cake and circulates amongst the guests (Wing Commander Sims and the RAF School of Music provide orchestral accompaniment as tea and cakes are served). The narrator thinks of those colleagues unable to attend (RAF air stewardesses, nurses etc) "I'm proud to be one of them." (Final montage of shots of Hong Kong, RAF women personnel at work and play.)
Production Details: Central Office of Information (Production sponsor)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Elizabeth, Queen (person)
Gloucester, Alice (Duchess) (person)
Trenchard, Katherine (person)
Tuckable, Geoffrey (person)
Wimborne, Helena (person)
Ward, George (person)
MacFarlane (Air Marshal) (person)
MacFarlane (Lady) (person)
Broadhurst, Harry (person)
Broadhurst (Lady) (person)
Pike, Thomas (Sir) (person)
Pike (Lady) (person)
Royle, Dermot (person)
Macdonald, Arthur (person)
Macdonald (Lady) (person)
Constantine, Hugh (person)
Constantine (Lady) (person)
Huddlestone, Geoffrey (person)
Huddlestone (Lady) (person)
Lee Potter, Patrick (person)
Lee Potter (Lady) (person)
Knight (Air Vice Marshal) (person)
Knight (Lady) (person)
Scoggins, Roy (person)
Scoggins (Lady) (person)
Barnett, Henrietta (Dame) (person)
Williamson, Alice (person)
Sims (Wing Commander) (person)
Royal Air Force, Women's Royal Air Force, (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force, Princess Mary's Royal Nursing Service (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force, School of Catering (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force, School of Music &, orchestra (regiment/service)
Keywords: celebrations, British - event related: anniversary of WRAF, 10th (object name)
ceremonies, British - event related: anniversary of WRAF, 10th (object name)
GB, England & London, SW <Saint James's Palace> (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: None
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
