Association Of Wrens

General information

The Association of Wrens was formed in 1920 yet is still relevant today for those who wish to keep in touch with friends and colleagues from service days.

Over 5,600 women members from both the UK and overseas share a unique camaraderie based on their determination that the spirit of the service is kept alive.

We are very pleased to have serving women of the Royal Navy as members of the Association and welcome this continuity with naval tradition.

HISTORY

1917 'Women for the Navy – new shore service to be formed.' – by 1919 there were 7,000 Wrens including cooks and stewards, despatch riders, sailmakers and those in Intelligence. Their motto was 'Never at Sea'.

1939 'Free a Man for the Fleet' 3,000 women recruited as before and also in new roles such as radio operators, meteorologists, bomb range markers together with sea-going cypher officers, coders and boat's crew Wrens.

1944 WRNS Officers and ratings numbers, at their peak, were 74,000.

Post-war – a small permanent WRNS service of 3,000 retained for mainly administrative and support roles at RN establishments and Royal Naval Air Stations, UK and overseas.

1974 – a survey observed that changing social structures and career limitations indicated the need for integration with the Royal Navy.

1976 WRNS Officers' Training moved from the Royal Naval College, Greenwich to Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.

In 1981, the New Entry Training Establishment HMS DAUNTLESS closed after 35 years of training some 30,000 Wrens. Initial training now takes place alongside male ratings at HMS RALEIGH. Wrens were now subject to the Naval Discipline Act and given longer terms of service in a wide range of technical support roles in operational areas.

From 1990 – falling R.N. recruitment, and a recognition that the best use was not being made of woman power, raised the need for Wrens to go to sea. The first 20 volunteer Wren Officers and ratings joined HMS BRILLIANT.

1994 The Women's Royal Naval Service was disbanded and 4535 women were integrated fully into the Royal Navy and able to serve on HM Ships at sea, at all ranks and rates.

21st Century: Women in the Royal Navy serve in many roles; as pilots, observers and air-crew personnel; as divers, and Commanding Officers of HM Ships and shore establishments, notably Cdr Sarah West RN, who took up her appointment as CO of HMS PORTLAND in 2012. Women make up nearly one in every ten of Royal Navy personnel. Volunteers for the Submarine Service will begin training from 2012 and will take up their posts from 2013. Women can serve in the Royal Marines Band Service but not as RM Commandos.