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In 1917 women were finally allowed to serve with the Royal Navy. The Wrens did jobs that some officers had thought were only suitable for men. It helped to give the women new confidence and laid the foundation for their service in the Second World War.

The Women’s Royal Naval Service recruited more than five thousand women during the war to ‘free men for the fleet’. At first they served in such roles as typists, cooks and drivers but quickly moved on to more demanding jobs including coding and telegraphy, as their ability became apparent. Behavioural standards were enforced as part of a concern to cultivate a professional image.

The WRNS was disbanded in 1919 but reformed in 1939. The service continued until 1993 when the women became part of a more unified Royal Navy.

Location: Portsmouth PO1 3LJ
Image: Imperial War Museums Q19741 Gardeners of the WRNS tending a garden outside the Officers' Mess, Osea Island, Essex.