31 years ago today, I was on the platform at Loughborough Train Station, with me were my Mum and Dad, I was just about to board a train which would take me on a 14 year journey, which would be full of highs and lows, travel and things I thought I would never would experience. I said goodbye to my parents, my Mum was tearful and there was watery glaze in my Dad's eyes (which was a very rare occurrence) as the train I was boarding was going to Plymouth, where I was going to start a new life as a Wren, I was joining the Women's Royal Navy.
WRNS The History
The WRNS was first formed way back in 1917 during the 1st world war, this was to allow more men to go to sea after a large losses. They recruited mainly from woman who already worked with the Royal Navy in a civilian role and from the areas of the country where males recruits were badly needed. So division of WRNS sprung up in places like Bristol, Chatham and Portsmouth. There roles were mainly domestic roles such as cooks, stewards, sail makers and despatch rider as well as in intelligence.
They were placed under the command of the 1st Director of WRNS Katharine Furse a former director of the Voluntary Aid Department. By 1919 the members of the WRNS had extended far beyond expectations and numbers had swollen to over 7,000. The Royal Navy was the first of the three services to officially recruit women, the success of the idea was quickly clear and the WRAF and WAACS were formed shortly afterwards. It was never felt, however these services would have a permanent role. The WRNS were disbanded at the end of the First World War in October 1919 without establishing a reserve force. But through the efforts of Katharine Furse that the Association of Wrens was founded in 1920.
They were placed under the command of the 1st Director of WRNS Katharine Furse a former director of the Voluntary Aid Department. By 1919 the members of the WRNS had extended far beyond expectations and numbers had swollen to over 7,000. The Royal Navy was the first of the three services to officially recruit women, the success of the idea was quickly clear and the WRAF and WAACS were formed shortly afterwards. It was never felt, however these services would have a permanent role. The WRNS were disbanded at the end of the First World War in October 1919 without establishing a reserve force. But through the efforts of Katharine Furse that the Association of Wrens was founded in 1920.
Dame Katharine Furse DBE
Then with the outbreak of the Second World war the WRNS was very quickly formed, with recruitment drive Join the Wrens - free a man for the fleet ! This campaign encouraged many women to enrol, also with this campaign new roles for women were introduced such as Radio Operators, meteorologists, bomb range markers, coders & boat's crew Wrens. By the end of September 1939 the number of Wrens had become about 16,000, many of the new recruits were actually previous Wrens from the First world war that had re-enlisted. By December the same year the numbers had almost tripled. The training was a two week introduction to naval terminology and lots of scrubbing and cleaning. They became Officers and Ratings.
As the service began to grow the problems of manpower shortages that had occurred in WWI the women found themselves in more varied roles within the Royal Navy. Many Wrens served overseas at foreign bases, particularly in a logistical role. At the service's peak (September 1944) there were over 74,000 women enrolled. Wrens served on land, unlike there male counterparts weren't enrolled to go to sea on board the ships, yet despite Admiralty's protestations, there were a few women who served as stokers and coxswains, whilst other served as code breakers in trans-Atlantic convoys. That did go to sea. In fact on 19th August 1941 the SS Aguilla was sunk in a U-boat attack, 22 Wrens died on board her. In fact a total of 303 where killed during WWII
After the end of WWII the WRNS weren't disbanded like the previous time, but only a small permanent WRNS service of 3,000 remained, they were women who were mostly in administration and support roles. In 1974 a survey observed that changing social structures and career limitations indicated the need for integration with the Royal Navy. In 1977 the WRNS was brought under the Naval Discipline Act. this had the dual effect of formalising the WRNS as part of the Royal Navy and also opening far more career opportunities for women. Women no longer enrolled in the WRNS they enlisted. In the 1990's due to falling Royal Navy recruitment, and a recognising that the best use wasn't being made of women within the RN, it highlighted the need for wrens to go to sea. The first 20 volunteer Officers and ratings step on board HMS Brilliant to work in the same environment as there male counterparts. In November 1993 the Women's Royal Naval Service was disbanded and 4535 women were integrated fully into the Royal Navy.
My life in a blue suit
Sat on the train, I was a bit apprehensive, to what to expect I was twenty years old and although I had left school and lived in my own flat since leaving school, this was an adventure for me. I soon identified other individuals that appeared to be going on the same journey as myself and others returning from there first weekend leave. The train arrived at Plymouth train station and there were buses waiting for us, to transport us to HMS Raleigh the joint training establishment for males and females. just over a year earlier the Wrens would have done there initial training at HMS Dauntless which was for the training of females only.
We were taken to our accommodation block where we were introduced to our Petty Officer Wren Shirley Boulting who was responsible for class Victoria 03 to which I now belonged.
We were giving a brief introduction to what would be happening to us during our 6 weeks initial training. Then taken to our rooms, which was a room that consisted of 6 beds. Where we could unpack, then we would be escorted to the "galley for our scran" (go for tea) day one had started a new language to be learnt.
Over the next few weeks we were issued with our uniforms, told how to maintain them, given our individual official number (which still is engraved in my memory like other ex service personal) even had lessons how to make beds, wash ourselves and how to brush our teeth, as well as learning how to march, something that some had great difficulty with causing hysterical laughter, also how to clean scrub clean the accommodation. Which was regularly inspected by senior officers. Our down time was either spend studying or down the automat (naafi) and filling the plush new video juke box with coins to play the latest top ten, Ultravox "Vienna", Phil Collins "you can't hurry love and Rene and Renato "save your love". As I was 20 I was allowed in the students bar and allowed to drink wine, sherry martini and lager as I didn't have a blue cross over my id card. On completion of my basic training we had the Passing Out Parade in front of parents. This indicated you have made it through the first part of your training and were ready to go on to the next, your trade training. For me that was HMS Mercury in Petersfield Hampshire........
To be continued:
NOTE
If you are an female who has served in the Royal Navy and interested in chatting to other females with the same background, I run a facebook group the link is https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wrens/ we would be happy to see you there
Also if you interested in becoming a member of the Association of Wrens please click on the link above this will take you directly to the website. Thank you
