From The Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service and Their Successors - The First Sixty Years 1942-2002  - Calendar produced by Naval Lore - Presentations & Exhibits on Naval History. With permission.

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From BUMPH, February 2002 - Naval Officer's Association of Canada Toronto Branch Newsletter: With permission from the editor, Robert A Willson.

The Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service came officially into being in July 1942. Initially the Royal Canadian Navy was not interested in recruiting women to service in the Navy. In 1941, there was some interest in women in the armed forces, however, the view was that only a few women were needed as drivers of vehicles. By 1942 the Admiralty realized that women in the Royal Canadian Navy would free up men for duty at sea. The Admiralty then asked the Royal Navy for the loan of qualified officers of the Women's Royal Naval Service. Three Women's Royal Naval Service officers were loaned and arrived in May 1942. The task of forming the new branch of the Royal Canadian Navy was enormous. The initial complement was set at 150 officers and 2,700 ratings. Where would they be trained, where would the officers and senior ratings come from? How would they be recruited? This was all at the time that the Royal Canadian Navy was undergoing a major expansion.

The major problem that immediately arose with more women coming into the WRCNS was accommodation. As the Wrens would be employed across Canada and in Newfoundland housing at little notice was hard to find.

Basic training was done at HMCS CONESTOGA, at Galt, Ontario. Training started in October 1942. Basic training of three weeks was devoted to converting civilians into Wrens. Drill and naval customs made up a major portion of the training. Probationary Wrens were paid 9- cents a day, increasing to 95 cents a day on completion of basic training.

Women officers were trained at Hardy House in Ottawa, the course was initially two weeks but eventually became a five week course. Neither ratings nor officers were initially trained in a particular trade. Advanced training for the most part took place at HMCS CORNWALLIS and St, Hyacinthe, initially, however, specialized training took place in Galt, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.

While eventually, 39 branches were created for Wrens, most served as messengers, cook, messwomen, writes and wardroom attendants. By 1942 courses were underway for writers, cooks, drivers, sick berth attendants, supply assistants and photographers. Subsequently, Wrens were trained in a wide variety of trades such as radar operators, switchboard operators and teletype operators.

By the time the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service ceased to exist August 31, 1946, there were 5,893 women in the WRCNS. Nearly 1,000 Wrens served overseas, many of them in Washington, New York, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Over 500 Wrens served in Newfoundland.

The WREN Association will be holding a Diamond Jubilee Reunion in Edmonton AB from August 30 to September 1 at the Mayfield In Trade Centre.

Excerpts from The Jenny Wren Times (their monthly newsletter), are used with permission from the Wren Association of Toronto.
Email: torontowrens@thewrens.com