The Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS or "Wrens") was an element of the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...

that was active during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and post-war as part of the

Royal Canadian Naval Reserve The Naval Reserve (NAVRES, french: link=no, Réserve navale) is the Primary Reserve component of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations, inc ...

until unification in 1968.http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/womens_royal_canadian_naval_service_wrcns.html The WRCNS was in operation from October 1942 to August 1946.

History

The WRCNS was modelled on the

Women's Royal Naval Service The Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS; popularly and officially known as the Wrens) was the women's branch of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. First formed in 1917 for the First World War, it was disbanded in 1919, then revived in 1939 at the ...

, which had been active during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and then revived in 1939. The Royal Canadian Navy was slow to create a women's service, only establishing the WRCNS in July 1942, nearly a year after the

Canadian Women's Army Corps The Canadian Women's Army Corps was a non-combatant branch of the Canadian Army for women, established during the Second World War, with the purpose of releasing men from those non-combatant roles in the Canadian armed forces as part of expanding ...

and the

Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division The Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division was a non-combatant element of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) which was active during the Second World War. The Women's Division's original role was to replace male air force personnel so that th ...

. By the end of the war however nearly 7,000 women had served with the WRCNS in 39 trades. The ''ByTown II'', later renamed HMCS ''Conestoga'' ("The Stone Frigate"), was the WRCNS training centre in

Galt, Ontario Galt is a community in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario on the Grand River. Prior to 1973, it was an independent city, incorporated in 1915, but amalgamation with the town of Hespeler, Ontario, the to ...

, and became the first female-commanded Canadian commissioned "ship" in June 1943 when

Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

Isabel Macneill was appointed commanding officer. That September

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

Adelaide Sinclair became the first Canadian Director of the WRCNS, a position she held until disbandment. The WRCNS was disbanded in July 1946, but revived as part of the Naval Reserve at the beginning of the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. It was disbanded a second time in 1968 when the

as a whole was folded into the unified

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

. A Historic Sites and Monuments' board of Canada plaque in Halifax describes the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service:

Women's service in the military during the Second World War challenge the tradition of all-male armed forces. Between 1942 and 1946 close to 7000 volunteers enlisted in the WRCNS and served in 26 non-combatant occupations in Canadian naval bases at home or abroad. By late 1943, nearly 1000 Wrens worked in the Halifax area and lived in HMCS Stadacona, within sight of this spot. The WRCNS made an outstanding contribution to Allied victory, paved the way for future generations of Canadian service women and raised questions about the equality of women in the civilian world.

Ranks

Wargaming

One of the departments was in charge of teaching ASW tactics to the captains of the vessels escorting convoys across the Atlantic. Carol Duffus (née Hendry), explained in an interview how the wargame was facilitated and debriefed by the training commander. File:News. Navy Girls - Miss Gagnon BAnQ P48S1P09332.jpg, A journalist (left) interviewing a woman in uniform (right) from the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service, 1943 File:WRENS plaque Halifax.jpg, Wrens plaque at the

Maritime Command Museum The Naval Museum of Halifax (formerly Admiralty House and Maritime Command Museum) is a Canadian Forces museum located at CFB Halifax in the former official residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the North America Station (1819–1905). Also kno ...

References

; Notes

External links

{{Archival records, title=WREN Association of Toronto collection, location=, inventory_number=Fonds 472, description_URL=http://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/torontodetail.html?key=602619, dates=, access_conditions=
Women's Royal Canadian Navy Legacy Project

The Wrens

Canadian Armed Forces – Historical milestones of women Fact Sheet
��National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces Naval units and formations of Canada Women in the Canadian armed services All-female military units and formations Canadian women in World War II Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations disestablished in 1946

History

Ranks

Wargaming

See also

References

External links