| Unit Name: | Royal Air Force Nursing Service |
| Dates: | 1 June 1918–present (originally as Royal Air Force Temporary Nursing Service) |
| Country: |  United Kingdom |
| Allegiance: | HM The King |
| Branch: | RAF Medical Services |
| Type: | Nursing |
| Role: | Medicine |
| Size: | 498 nurses |
| Garrison: | Air Command, RAF High Wycombe |
| Battles: | World War II, Korean War, Falklands War, Gulf War (Op GRANBY), Bosnian War, Kosovo War, War in Afghanistan, Gulf War II (Op TELIC) |
| Commander1: | Group Captain Charlie Thompson |
| Commander1 Label: | Matron-In-Chief |
| Ceremonial Chief: | Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, LG, GCVO |
| Ceremonial Chief Label: | Patron |
| Identification Symbol Label: | RAF Ensign |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Red Cross Emblem |
Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (PMRAFNS) is the nursing branch of the British Royal Air Force.
It was established as the Royal Air Force Temporary Nursing Service (RAFNS) in 1918, and became part of the permanent establishment as the Royal Air Force Nursing Service on 27 January 1921. It received the Royal prefix after Princess Mary agreed to become its Patron in June 1923.
It was a women-only branch until 1980, when men were also permitted to join. Until the Second World War, it was only open to unmarried women, or childless widows. There was also a Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (Reserve) (PMRAFNS(R)) to supplement the regular service during times of war or emergencies.
A history of the service was commissioned from the writer Mary Mackie and appeared in 2001.[1] An updated and extended edition covering subsequent decades (including service in Afghanistan) was published in September 2014.[2]
The initial ranking system used by the PMRAFNS was as follows.
| PMRAFNS rank | Equivalent RAF rank (from 1943) | |
| Staff Nurse[3] | ||
| Sister | Flying Officer | |
| Senior Sister[4] | Flight Lieutenant | |
| Matron | Squadron Leader | |
| Principal Matron[5] | Wing Commander | |
| Chief Principal Matron[6] | Group Captain | |
| Matron-in-Chief | Air Commodore |
From 1 June 1943, PMRAFNS personnel were granted emergency Commissions, and wore rank insignia corresponding to their equivalent Royal Air Force officer rank. On 1 February 1949, the women's forces were integrated into the Armed Forces, and a new ranking system was introduced, although professional titles were still used on the wards.
| PMRAFNS rank | Equivalent RAF rank | |
| Flying Officer | Flying Officer | |
| Flight Officer | Flight Lieutenant | |
| Squadron Officer | Squadron Leader | |
| Wing Officer | Wing Commander | |
| Group Officer | Group Captain | |
| Air Commandant | Air Commodore | |
| Air Chief Commandant[7] | Air Vice-Marshal |
Other Ranks were introduced in 1956, although unqualified Nursing Orderlies had previously served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and Women's Royal Air Force. They held standard RAF ranks. Officers used the separate ranking system until 1980, when they too adopted RAF ranks.
The RAF had several hospitals which were staffed by nurses from the PMRAFNS. These were located at Akrotiri, Albrighton, Wolverhampton, Ely, Halton Nocton Hall, Lincolnshire, Aden, Uxbridge, Wegberg and Wroughton.[8]