The first British women to reach the battle zone of Western Europe were nursing orderlies of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. A week after D-Day, as the earliest landing strips were laid down on the Normandy hinterland, the first three nursing orderlies, led by Corporal Lydia Bessie Alford, of Eastleigh, Hants, England, arrived by air. The first WAAF nursing orderlies selected to fly on air-ambulance duties to France, standing in front of a Douglas Dakota Mark III of No. 233 Squadron RAF at B2/Bazenville, Normandy. From left to right: Leading Aircraftwoman Myra Roberts of Oswestry, Corporal Lydia Alford of Eastleigh and Leading Aircraftwoman Edna Birbeck of Wellingborough. IWM (CL 122)

Original wartime caption: Picture issued 1945 shows - Leading Aircraftwoman G. Batchelor, an electrician, of 2a Waltheof Gardens, Tottenham, checking the wiring of a Mosquito engine. IWM (CH 15781)

Leading Aircraftman W Blackett, of Barnsley, at work with a tape measure during the construction of the first airfield to be built by the Royal Air Force in Normandy, near St Andre, 6 August 1944.IWM (CL 705)

Original wartime caption: Among technical duties carried out by members of the W.A.A.F are those in the electrical and mechanical branches. Airwomen at a large aircraft repair depot of R.A.F. Maintenance Command are adapting Canadian-made Mosquitos for use in the Far East. Picture issued 1945 shows Right- Leading Aircraftwoman M. Cook of 1 Neville Road, Dagenham, an armourer checking electrical wiring and guns of an R.A.F. Mosquito. IWM (CH 15779)

Flight Sergeant Ronald Crouch of Bridgwater, Somerset, and a former member of the 41st Taunton Squadron of the A.T.C. had his first success over Northern France recently, when he shot down an FW.190 and severely damaged another aircraft. He is flying with a crack Typhoon squadron, which shot down nine FW.190s in a recent sweep to the Paris area. One of these aircraft fell to Flight Sergeant Crouch's guns. Picture (issued 1944) shows - Flight Sergeant Ronald Crouch who shot down an FW.190 recently, beside his damaged plane when he returned to his base. IWM (CH 12230)

Original wartime caption: Picture issued 1945 shows - LACW D.Galpin an electrician, of 24 The Crescent, East Acton, an armature winder seen operating on starter motors. In two years some 5000 armatures have passed through her hands. IWM (CH 15789)

Original wartime caption:  Picture issued 1945 shows - Leading Aircraftwoman W.P.Gearey, an electrician, of 59 Rydens Way, Old Woking, is seen servicing dynamos. IWM (CH 15790)