Women's Royal Australian Naval Service

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A member of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service at HMAS Harman in 1941

The Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) was a non-combat branch of the Royal Australian Navy that recruited women. Like many of its sister services created during the Second World War, it alleviated manpower shortages resulting from men being assigned to combat roles.

The Service was established in April 1941 when the Royal Australian Navy enrolled 14 women at the HMAS Harman wireless telegraphy station near Canberra. Two women were stewards, and 12 trained as telegraphists. At the time, the formation of this civilian unit was not publicised, but this changed when the War in the Pacific was perceived as a growing threat to Australia.

On 1st October 1942 the WRANS were sworn in as enlisted personnel in the Royal Australian Navy, and in February 1943 their numbers were increased to 1,000. By the end of the war, their numbers had increased to over 2,500.

WRANS performed a variety of duties, working as telegraphists, coders and clerks; but also as drivers, education officers, mechanics, harbour messengers, cooks and sickberth attendants. Some WRANS worked for the Allied Intelligence Bureau, the Censorship Office, and the Allied Translation Section of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur's Order of Battle unit.

The Service was disbanded in 1948, but due to manpower shortages it was re-formed in 1951 and later incorporated as a non-combatant (and thus non-seagoing) part of the permanent naval forces by 1959.

Women were permitted to serve aboard Australian naval ships in 1983. Subsequently, WRANS personnel were fully integrated into the Royal Australian Navy, and in 1984 the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service was again disbanded.

1 Origin
2 Development
3 Uniform
4 See also
5 External links
6 Reference

[edit] Origin

Mrs Florence Violet McKenzie was a ham radio operator and electrical engineer who ran a shop in the Royal Arcade in Sydney. She had an idea that women could replace men in the field of communications. She and a small group of women decided to train themselves in telegraphy. The demand for the training increased and the Women's Emergency Signalling Corps (WESC) was formed. Initially the training occurred at the shop at 9 Clarence Street Sydney. However overcrowding became too much, and in 1939, two floors from a neighboring woolstore was used. The space was rented, linoleum was used to cover the floors and Mrs McKenzie installed eonough sound equipment for twelve classes.

During the early days of world war II many recruits and servicemen in the armed forces attended the classes. At this point the girl telegraphists had sufficient training to teach. Potential pilots for the RAAF had to reach a standard in morse code before being accepted. The army also sent many soldiers for training. The RAAF also sent in another instructor to train their servicemen. Visual signalling training was added for the merchant navy. The Civil Aviation Authority added equipment and an instructor to the school to bring commercial aircraft pilots up to the examination standard. 10000 people were trained at the school. Trainees did not have to pay for their lessons.

One of the girls, Francis Proven read an article about the Women's Royal Naval Service, and several of the the telegraphists became enthusiastic about the idea of a Women's Royal Australian Naval Service. Mrs McKenzie offered the Minister for Navy fully trained morse code operators to replace men. After 6 months of lobbying, on 31 January 1941 the naval board approved the use of women telegraphists, preferably as civilians. On 18 April 1941 the Minister for the Navy, Billy Hughes approved employment of 14 women with a provision that there be no publicity. On 21 April the Navy Office sent a letter to the Commodore-in-Charge at Sydney authorizing the entry of women into the Navy as WRANS.

The initial 14 women had their medical test on 25 April and arrived at HMAS Harman in Canberra on 28 April 1941. Twelve were telegraphists and two were domestic helpers. The initial intake included Jess Prain, Shirley Drew, Enid Conley, Denise Owen, Joan Hodges, Billee Thompson, Marion Stevens, Judy Alley, Joan Cade, and Francis Proven who became WRANS number 1.

[edit] Development

In December 1942 newspaper coverage said that WRANS urgently required. This encouraged applications. The first 16 WRANS officers were trained at the Flinders Naval Depot.

WRANS also served as domestic staff at Government House, Yarralumla. They also staffed the Honours section of the Governor Generals Office. There was a Wrans choir which did charity events and occasional radio broadcasts. They published a nespaper called HARMANIA.

HRH Princess Alexandra was the Honorary Commandant of the WRANS. She paid a visit to HMAS Harman in 1959 and on 21 September 1978. Angus Ogilvy accomanies her on the later visit.

[edit] Uniform

For six months the WRANS wore the green WESC uniform. The Naval tailors copied the WRNS uniform, and clothing was available by July 1941, but without shoes. The uniform was a winter outfit with a jacket with two rows of three buttons, a skirt, blouse, hat, tie and underwear. Later a summer uniform with a dress, belt and socks was issued The dress had a wide white collar and buttons down the front.