Felicity Barbara Hill (12 December 1915 – 30 January 2019) was a senior officer of the British air services who reached the rank of Air Commodore and served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force from 1966 to 1969. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) and is remembered for a long career that began in the wartime Women's Auxiliary Air Force.

Early service and background

Hill entered uniformed service during the Second World War when many women volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. The WAAF provided vital support to the Royal Air Force in roles such as communications, intelligence support, maintenance supervision and administration. Her early experiences in that wartime structure shaped a career in which she remained committed to professionalising and managing women's service in the RAF.

Career and responsibilities

As an Air Commodore she held a senior one‑star rank in the RAF, with responsibilities that combined administrative leadership, advocacy for personnel, and oversight of training and welfare. From 1966 until 1969 Hill was the Director of the Women's Royal Air Force, the branch responsible for women's service personnel at a time when the role and scope of women in the armed forces were evolving.

  • Joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force during World War II
  • Progressed through commissioned ranks to Air Commodore
  • Served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force (1966–1969)
  • Honoured as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)

Importance and legacy

Hill's leadership occurred during a period of institutional change as women's branches of the armed services moved from wartime auxiliaries toward permanent, professional corps. Directors of the Women's Royal Air Force were centrally involved in recruitment policy, career structure, training standards and the welfare of servicewomen, and Hill's tenure contributed to continuity and stability in those areas.

She is often noted in records of RAF history and of British women in uniform. Biographical notices record her long life and service: after a career spanning the mid‑20th century she died in January 2019 at the age of 103.

Further reading and archival references about the RAF and its women's services can be found through official institutional pages such as the Royal Air Force and historical summaries of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.