The Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS; popularly and officially known as the Wrens) was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.
Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics. It was formed in 1917 during the First World War, and by the end of the war had 5,500 members, 500 of them officers. In addition, about 2000 members of the WRAF had previously served with the WRNS supporting the Royal Naval Air Service and were transferred on the creation of the Royal Air Force. It was disbanded in 1919.
It was revived in 1939 at the beginning of the Second World War, with an expanded list of allowable activities, including flying transport planes. At its peak in 1944 it had 75,000 people. During the war there were 100 deaths. One of the slogans used in recruiting posters was "Join the Wrens—free a man for the fleet."
It remained in existence after the war and was finally integrated into the regular Royal Navy in 1993. Women sailors are however still known as wrens or Jennies (Jenny Wrens) in naval slang.
Before 1993, all women in the Royal Navy were members of the WRNS except nurses, who joined (and still join) Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service, and medical and dental officers, who were commissioned directly into the Royal Navy, held RN ranks, and wore WRNS uniform with gold RN insignia.
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The WRNS had its own ranking system, which it retained until amalgamation into the Royal Navy in 1993.
| 1917–1919 ranks | 1939–1993 ranks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officers | Ratings | Commissioned Officers | ||
| WRNS rank | WRNS rank | Equivalent RN rank | WRNS rank | Equivalent RN rank |
| Assistant Principal | Ordinary Wren | Ordinary Seaman | Third Officer | Sub-Lieutenant |
| Deputy Principal | Wren | Able Seaman | Second Officer | Lieutenant |
| Principal | Leading Wren | Leading Seaman | First Officer | Lieutenant-Commander |
| Deputy Divisional Director | Petty Officer Wren | Petty Officer | Chief Officer | Commander |
| Divisional Director | Chief Wren | Chief Petty Officer | Superintendent | Captain |
| Deputy Assistant Director | Commandant/Director[1] | Commodore/Rear-Admiral | ||
| Assistant Director | Chief Commandant/Commandant[2] | Rear-Admiral | ||
| Deputy Director | ||||
| Director | ||||
Ratings' titles were suffixed with their trade (e.g. Leading Wren Cook, Chief Wren Telegraphist).
Wrens wore the same rank insignia as their male equivalents, but in blue instead of gold. The "curls" atop officers' rank stripes were diamond-shaped instead of circular.
From 1939, Wren uniform consisted of a double-breasted jacket and skirt, with shirt and tie, for all ranks (although similar working dress to the men could also be worn). Junior Ratings wore hats similar to those of their male counterparts (although with a more sloping top). Senior Ratings (Petty Officers and above) and officers wore tricorne hats with a white cover. All insignia, including cap badges and non-substantive (trade) badges, were blue.
Nineteen-year-old Josephine Carr was one of three Wrens from Cork, Ireland who were travelling together on the RMS Leinster from Dublin to Holyhead on 10 October 1918. Carr became the first Wren to die on active service when the ship was torpedoed. Her body was never recovered.
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