Canadian Women's Army Corps Band

rdf:langString Canadian Women's Army Corps Band

rdf:langString The Canadian Women's Army Corps Band (CWAC Band) was an organized Canadian Army military band that was in service during the Second World War. It consisted of both the CWAC Brass Band and the CWAC Pipe Band, who are sister ensembles to each other. At the same time of its service, various all-female bands were operated throughout the services, including the RCAF Women's Division Band (notably led by Maurice Dunmall from 1943-1944) in the RCAF. It was intended to improve the perception of women in the military and encourage more women to join the Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWAC). Although the CWAC was not an infantry regiment, and as such did not take part in massed pipe band performances at the Victory Parades, the CWAC Band played an important role in supporting the First Canadian Army overseas, particularly in Europe. Because of this, it had the distinction of being the only active-service women's pipe band in the Commonwealth of Nations during the war as well as the only women's military pipe band in Canadian history.