THESE members of the Keighley Girls’ Training Corps, seen here parading in Lord Street, provided a guard of honour during Wings for Victory Week in 1943 when Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal marked a fundraising indicator in Town Hall Square.
Keighley’s was the 329th such company to be formed in 1942, recruiting nearly 100 girls within its first few months. The public donated spare clothing coupons to help provide their uniforms.
The Girls’ Training Corps promoted an “all-pervading ideal of preparing the girls for the duties of Christian citizenship”. At a time when young women were liable for conscription into the armed forces or war work, there was an emphasis on pre-service training. Some cadets attended special courses at Keighley Technical College, including one on preparation for joining the WAAF; others formed a knitting group in aid of the Russians.
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