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Wren Association of Toronto

MEDIA ADVISORY

May 28, 2007

The CANADIAN FEDERATION of UNIVERSITY WOMEN, KITCHENER-WATERLOO

WHO - WW II veterans including members of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service and Canadian Women’s Army Corps, as well as other naval personnel, will be joined by Gary Goodyear, MP Cambridge, and their hosts, members of the Canadian Federation of University Women, Kitchener-Waterloo

WHAT - launch Proudly She Marched: Training Canada’s World War II Women in Waterloo County, Volume 2 – Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (part of CFUW, KW’s major project: a DVD and two volumes of books entitled Proudly She Marched: Training Canada’s World War II Women in Waterloo County. Volume 1 and the DVD were launched in October of 2006.) Virtually all the members of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (the Wrens) who served Canada during the Second World War received basic training in Galt (Cambridge). Volume 2 tells their story.

... read the full release and the orginal notices ...

Previous Events

Click here for full list (Toronto)

Naval Reunion - "A Sailor's Homecoming"
Digby Nova Scotia
May 18-21, 2007

Photos uploaded!!!

"TORONTO REMEMBERS"
D-DAY CEREMONY
Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Musical prelude 12:00 pm - featuring our own Janet Watt
Ceremony 12:45 pm

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St W

Marching in the ceremony:
Click for program (draft)

Toronto Civic Honour Guard

Toronto Police Ceremonial Unit

Toronto Firefighter's War Veterans Colour Guard

Toronto Emergency Medical Services Honour Guard

Toronto Transit Commission Supervisory Honour Guard

Royal Canadian Legion

Navy, Army, Air Force Veterans in Canada

Naval Club of Toronto

WREN Association of Toronto

Toronto Police Pipe Band

Toronto Fire Services Pipes & Drums

Ex-Wrens Final Reunion
15-17 September 2006

Winnipeg, Manitoba

For more information click on the links below:

(From Naval Museum of Manitoba
http://www.naval-museum.mb.ca/wrens/index.htm

Registration Form
Hotel Information

HMCS COVERDALE
by Jerry Proc VE3FAB

"Coverdale, a tender to Stadacona, was established as a Special Wireless Station (HF/DF) in 1941 and was situated across the Petitcodiac River, slightly south of Moncton, New Brunswick. The name Coverdale came from a village in the immediate vicinity and was named after Myles Coverdale, who produced the first complete printed translation of the Bible in English in 1535. Because this site was located over a tremendous bog, it was selected for HF/DF operations because it provided a very good ground. Because of that, the site was a good source of domestic water."

Read more about Coverdale and the role of the WRCNS ... http://webhome.idirect.com/~jproc/rrp/coverdale.html

Canada’s War:

The Lost Colour Archives

YAP Lost Archives Productions Inc./YAP Films Inc., Toronto, Canada, is producing for the CBC entitled, "Canada's War: The Lost Colour Archives" and are very interested in getting the word out to Canadian Wrens of the WWII era and their families in the hopes that they may have some colour home movies and letters and diaries that may be shared with the rest of Canada. We are eager to include the stories of our fabulous and brave Canadian women in the series. ... more ...

A Special Year for the Toronto Wrens
2006 marked their 60th Anniversary

May 2006 - 60th Anniversary of the Toronto Wrens was celebrated in style!
Click here

The year 2002 was a very special year for a group of Canadian Women who are celebrating and remembering an exceptional time in their lives. They are the women veterans of the WWII Royal Canadian Navy. Read about the activities and recognition for Canadian Wrens that took place in 2002 ... Cont'd ...

Memorial Statue

In 1996 Jean Crawley, ex A.T.S. now living in Canada, started a fund to raise sufficient money for a Woman's Memorial to be erected in London, England. This would depict women of the W.R.N.S., W.A.A.F., A.T.S. AND A Nursing Sister.

Click here to see the chosen statue, and contribute your opinion about the choice of statue on the guestbook.

You can also read the press release (pdf format) here.

You can download the latest free reader here if you have trouble opening it.

The secretary of the HMS Phoebe Association would like to thank the WRNS Association Bournemouth Branch for parading their Standard at our Dedication of a Memorial Stone to our shipmates who were killed or died of their wounds 1939 -1945. The parade was on Sunday 19th May 2003 in the Central Gardens Bournemouth.

If you do not have Acrobat Reader ... click the graphic for a free download - handy to have

Branches Worldwide

Note to Associations of Wrens Worldwide ... if you would like to be a part of this site with your own section, including calendar of events, please contact me at: wrensassoc@thewrens.com

Please feel free to post your Wrens events on the Wrens World Calendar of Events

Canadian Associations of Wrens W.R.C.N.S.

History, memoirs, and current goings-on. Read about the 60th Anniversary of the Canadian Wrens.

The Book of Remembrance maintained by a member of The Wren Association of Toronto.

Email: canadianwrens@thewrens.com

Canadian Associations of Wrens please contact me to be a part of this section.

Wren Association of Toronto : Based at the Toronto Naval Club on Hayden St

HMCS Toronto Day's Sail ... read about our day.

THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC PARADE AND MEMORIAL SERVICE. Read about the Battle of the Atlantic.

	Webmaster's Note: This Association has been most kind in supplying much of the initial information for this site. My mum, Pauline Hebb, to which this site is dedicated, lives in Toronto and is currently a member of the Toronto Wren Association. I have the good fortune to have tagged along on many of their special functions. I have attended Remembrance Day for many years at the Naval Club, walked along the curb as they have marched in the Warrior's Day and Battle of Atlantic Day Parades, attended their 1998 Reunion, and been at many of their other functions like bake sales and pub nights. These ladies are wonderful and caring, and I hope to share many of their stories in their section of this site. The Toronto Wrens meet at the Naval Club in Toronto, and are often at the H.M.C.S. Haida and H.M.C.S. YORK for Naval Services.
Wrens Reunion hosted by the Wrens Association of Toronto
Excerpts from The Jenny Wren Times (their monthly newsletter), are used with permission from the Wren Association of Toronto. Email: torontowrens@thewrens.com

Nova Scotia Wren Association

We hold our meetings the third Saturday of alternate months ie. Jan, Mar, May then Sep, Oct and Nov.
Find out more about us. Email: novascotia@thewrens.com

British Associations of Wrens W.R.N.S.

History, memoirs, and current goings-on. Email: britishwrens@thewrens.com
British Associations of Wrens please contact me to be a part of this section.

The Association of Wrens has an office in London at 8 Hatherley Street London SW1P 2YY and an e.mail address (wrensassoc@aol.com).

The Solent Branch meets first Wednesday in March, June, September and December in the Seahorse Pub, Alverstoke, Gosport at 1930. We range from the 1960’s, 70’s 80’s and 90’s generation of Wrens. If you would like to join our Branch please come along or email me (Sue Capocci – Secretary) for further information suewrnsa@hotmail.com.

Swindon Branch - more information here

Portsmouth Branch, Association of Wrens.
We meet every second Tuesday of each month in the Royal Sailors Home Club, Queen Street, Portsmouth at 1915. We have a varied programme of events during the year and our ages range from ladies in their 80s to ladies in their 40s and 50s. We even have a serving 'wren' on our committee. Come along one evening - you are assured of a good welcome.
For further information please email me at: Paddywrens@aol.com

Australian Associations of Wrens W.R.N.S.

Email: australianwrens@thewrens.com
Australian Associations of Wrens please contact me to be a part of this section.

Association of Wrens (Sydney branch) Australia
We meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month, 12 noon in the N.S.W.Sports Club, 10 Hunter St. Sydney. All ex members of the Women's Royal Naval Service will be made very welcome.
Find out more about us.
Email: sydneyaustr@thewrens.com

Any Other Associations of Wrens Worldwide W.R.N.S.

Email: worldwrens@thewrens.com
Any other Associations of Wrens, around the world, please contact me to be a part of this section.

Webmaster's Note: My mum, Pauline Hebb (nee Cunliffe), is a British Wren (W.R.N.S.), who presently lives in Canada (see Wren Association of Toronto , below). It is because of her sacrifice, and the hardships of war that she, and many others went through, that I have built this site. I have begun to receive some stories of other wonderful WRNS, which will be shared here.

This site is a celebration of the lives of these women, then and now, the comradery they shared, the troubles they endured, and the legacy of freedom that they have given us. Although its subject is war, this site will attempt to concentrate more on the positive aspects of their situation, their contribution, their friendships, their strength and courage.

This site is for my mum, and is dedicated to her. For her past service as a Wren, and her present involvement with the Wren Association of Toronto. Please read all about the wonderful women of this Association.

This site, TheWrens.com, is my personal recognition of an important contribution that women made, and my tribute to an important time in my mother's life. Much of this site represents the current activities of the Wren Association of Toronto.

This is not an official Wrens Association website, or the official website of the Association of Wrens in London, UK (but to get in touch with them see sidebar for a link to their contact information).