The Women's Emergency Signalling Corps (WESC) was founded by Florence Violet McKenzie in 1939 as a volunteer organisation in Sydney.[1] As World War II loomed, McKenzie saw that with her qualifications and teaching skills she could make a valuable contribution. She foresaw a military demand for people with skills in wireless communications. As she told The Australian Women's Weekly in 1978: "When Neville Chamberlain came back from Munich and said 'Peace in our time' [sic], I began preparing for war."[2]
Initially, training was provided to female trainees, but after the war broke out, the corps also provided training to male servicemen using a pool of female instructors. In 1941, a number of WESC personnel were recruited into the Royal Australian Navy initially as civilian employees before becoming part of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service in 1942. Throughout the war, the demand for signals training saw over 12,000 servicemen and recruits receive training at the WESC school, while 3,000 women also received signals training, with around one third joining the services. The organisation was dissolved in 1954.
- ^ "Signals, currents, and wires: the untold story of Florence Violet McKenzie – Hindsight – ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 16 March 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ Flynn, Gregg (12 July 1978). "Thank you, Mrs Mac". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. p. 1. Retrieved 19 November 2011.