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A close-up view showing the badge, and the dates 1938 1949, on the Auxiliary Territorial Service statue at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. See SK1814 : ATS Girl at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Made up of volunteers, who undertook six weeks of basic training, the Women's ATS was officially launched in September 1938 and after the outbreak of war, a year later, 300 ATS members were sent to France.

As more men were sent to the front lines, the ATS membership rapidly increased; by December 1939 there were 23900 women aged between 19 and 23 years old in the service, with numbers peaking at 212500 in 1942.

During this time women, who were not allowed to fight in battle, served as office, mess and telephone orderlies, drivers, postal workers and ammunition inspectors. Their roles extended to include radar operators, military police, gun crews and many other operational support tasks.

During hostilities, 335 members of the ATS were killed, 94 reported missing, 202 wounded and 20 became prisoners of war (POWs).

In 1949, the ATS was disbanded and the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC) was formed.

Link BBC News