Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service
Encyclopedia
The Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service was an element of the Royal Canadian Navy
that was active during the Second World War and post-war as part of the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve
until unification in 1968
.
The WRCNS (or Wrens) was modelled on the Women's Royal Naval Service
, which had been active during the First World War 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
and the Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division
. By the end of the war however nearly 7,000 women had served with the WRCNS in 39 different trades.
HMCS Conestoga, the WRCNS training centre in Galt, Ontario, became the first female-commanded Canadian commissioned ship in June 1943 when Lieutenant Commander
Isabel Macneill was appointed commanding officer. That September Commander
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
. It was disbanded a second time in 1968 when the Royal Canadian Navy
as a whole was folded into the unified Canadian Forces
.
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
that was active during the Second World War and post-war as part of the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve
Canadian Forces Naval Reserve
In the Canadian Forces, the Naval Reserve or NAVRES is the Primary Reserve component of the Royal Canadian Navy.Headquarters for the Naval Reserve is in Quebec City and it oversees the operation of 24 divisions in other cities across Canada....
until unification in 1968
Unification of the Canadian Forces
Unification of the Canadian Forces took place in 1968 when the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged to form the Canadian Armed Forces....
.
The WRCNS (or Wrens) was modelled on the Women's Royal Naval Service
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service 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...
, which had been active during the First World War 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
Canadian Women's Army Corps
The Canadian Women's Army Corps was a non-combatant branch of the Canadian Army for women established during World War II to release men from those non-combatant roles in the Canadian armed forces as part of expanding Canada's war effort. Most women served in Canada but some served overseas, most...
and the Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division
Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division
The Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division was an element of the Royal Canadian Air Force which was active during the Second World War....
. By the end of the war however nearly 7,000 women had served with the WRCNS in 39 different trades.
HMCS Conestoga, the WRCNS training centre in Galt, Ontario, became the first female-commanded Canadian commissioned ship in June 1943 when Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant-Commander (Canada)
In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of lieutenant-commander is the naval rank equal to major in the army or air force and is the first rank of senior officer...
Isabel Macneill was appointed commanding officer. That September Commander
Commander (Canada)
In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of Commander is a Naval rank equal to a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Army or Air Force. A Commander is senior to aLieutenantCommander or an Army or Air Force Major, and junior to a Captain or Colonel....
Adelaide Sinclair
Adelaide Sinclair
Adelaide Helen Grant Sinclair, OC, OBE was a Canadian public servant. From 1957 to 1967, she was the deputy executive director for programs of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and one of the highest ranking women at the United Nations.Born in Toronto, Ontario, the...
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
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. It was disbanded a second time in 1968 when the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
as a whole was folded into the unified Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
.
See also
- Canadian Women's Army CorpsCanadian Women's Army CorpsThe Canadian Women's Army Corps was a non-combatant branch of the Canadian Army for women established during World War II to release men from those non-combatant roles in the Canadian armed forces as part of expanding Canada's war effort. Most women served in Canada but some served overseas, most...
- Royal Canadian Air Force Women's DivisionRoyal Canadian Air Force Women's DivisionThe Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division was an element of the Royal Canadian Air Force which was active during the Second World War....
- Women's Royal Naval ServiceWomen's Royal Naval ServiceThe Women's Royal Naval Service 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...
- Women's Royal Australian Naval ServiceWomen's Royal Australian Naval ServiceThe Service was established in April 1941 when the Royal Australian Navy enrolled 14 women at HMAS Harman, the wireless telegraphy station near Canberra. Two women were stewards, and 12 trained as telegraphists...
- Adelaide SinclairAdelaide SinclairAdelaide Helen Grant Sinclair, OC, OBE was a Canadian public servant. From 1957 to 1967, she was the deputy executive director for programs of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and one of the highest ranking women at the United Nations.Born in Toronto, Ontario, the...