Mary Tyrwhitt
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Brigadier Dame Mary Joan Caroline Tyrwhitt, DBE, TD (b. 22 December 1903 – 1997) was a British Army officer. She was the last director of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and the first director of the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) when it was established on 1 February 1949.
The Corps was organised into battalions and companies; later into independent companies and platoons and gradually they became integrated with their employing military units. The Corps Charter stated that it was 'to provide replacements for officers and men in such employment as may be specified by the Army Council from time to time'. Women served in over 40 different trades in 20 different Arms and Corps.
Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who had been Commandant in Chief of the ATS since 1940, became Commandant in Chief WRAC in 1949.
Brigadier Dame Mary Tyrwhitt died in 1997, aged 93, unmarried.
