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 Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) Officers
1939-1945

 

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Note. In naval circles it is custom to refer to the commander of a vessel as Captain. The Navy List bears the phrase "in command". Strictly out of practical considerations CO (Commanding Officer) is used here on this site.
Some abbreviations:
Dir = Director, Supt. = Superintendent, C/O = Chief Officer, 1/O = First Officer, 2/O = Second Officer, 3/O = Third Officer. More explanation & other abbreviations can be found at the help page


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D.C.B. Salmond  to  N. Swayne
Salmond,
Doreen Catherine Booth
(Miss)
Miss D.C.B. Salmond
?
-
C/O
01.04.1945
       
Salvesen,
Margaret Ruth
(Mrs)
see: Bell,
Margaret Ruth
(Miss)
 
Samuel,
Betty
(Miss)
Miss B. Samuel
?
-
C/O
15.04.1942
       
Sayce,
Hazel Constance *
(Miss)
Miss H.C. Sayce (Photo courtesy of Mrs Jane MacGregor)
Daughter (with two brothers) of Claud Nicholson Sayce (1884-1948), of Australia, and Constance Elsie Campbell (1890-1983).
Sister of F/O Patrick Campbell Sayce, RAFVR, and F/O Joseph Ernest Sayce, RAF.
Married (04.10.1947, Dovercourt, Harwich district, Essex) Richard Nelson Baron ((06?).1904 - ); three daughters.
* Officially Constance Hazel, but in naval records in reversed order.
16.02.1915
West Ham district, London
-
03.03.1981
Ipswich Hospital, Suffolk (formerly of Felixstowe)
A/3/O 15.11.1942
3/O 17.06.1943, seniority 15.11.1942 (reld 08.11.1945)
15.11.1942 - 25.11.1943 HMS Caroline (RN base, Belfast)
26.11.1943 - 07.12.1943 HMS Pembroke (RN base, Chatham)
08.12.1943 - 16.07.1945 HMS Saker (British Admiralty Delegation, Washington, DC, USA)
17.07.1945 - 08.11.1945 HMS Pembroke (RN base, Chatham)
Scott *,
Elizabeth Diana
(Lady)
Lady E.D. Scott
Daughter of Walter John Montagu-Douglas-Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch, 10th Duke of Queensberry (1894-1973), and Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles (1900-1993).
Married (12.06.1946) Hugh Algernon Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland (06.04.1914-11.10.1988), son of Alan Ian Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland and Lady Helen Magdalan Gordon-Lennox; three sons, three daughters.


* last name officially: Montague-Douglas-Scott, but possibly for the purpose of simplicity registered as Lady E.D. Scott
20.01.1922
St George Hanover Square district, Greater London
-
2008 still alive at Alnwick, Norhumberland & Albury, Surrey
A/3/O
13.08.1944
3/O
18.09.1945, seniority 13.08.1944 (reld < 04.1946)
13.09.1944
-
(10.1944)
HMS Shrapnel (RN base, Southampton)
(01.1945)
 
 
no appointment listed
04.01.1945
-
(07.1945)
HMS Golden Hind (RN manning depot, Sydney, NSW, Australia)
Honorary degree of Doctor by University of Newcastle Polytechnic, Newcastle, Northumberland. Honorary Colonel in the service of the 6th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers.
Seddon,
Jean Spottiswood
(Mrs)
see: Hutton-Balfour,
Jean Spottiswood
(Miss)
 
Service,
Beryl (née Robinson)
(Mrs)
Miss R. Sheepshanks
Married ((06?).1943, Surrey North Eastern district) Lt. Robert Gibson Service, RNVR.
?
-
3/O 01.03.1942
2/O 28.01.1944 (reld < 04.1946)
01.03.1942 - (06.)1944 HMS Skirmisher (RN base, Milford Haven)
(10.1944) - (07.1945) no appointment listed
Shaw,
Helen McGregor
(Miss)
see: Ramsay,
Helen McGregor
(Mrs)
 
Sheepshanks,
Rosemary
(Miss)
Miss R. Sheepshanks
Only daughter of Wlliam Ernest Sheepshanks (1881-1914), of Arthington Hall, near Leeds, and Olive Bradley Tootell (1884-1954), of Walter's Cottage, Sunningdale, Berkshire.
Married (12.06.1948, St Nicholas Church, RN Barracks, Devonport) Cdr. Robert Stewart Blacker, RN.
(06?).1914
Wharfedale district, West Riding of Yorkshire
-
A/1/O ?
1/O 23.11.1942
Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE 01.01.1947 New Year 47
26.03.1941 - (10.)1943 HMS Eaglet (RN base, Liverpool)
28.10.1943 - (06.)1944 HMS Lanka (RN base, Colombo, Ceylon)
06.1944 - (07.1945) HMS Braganza (RN base, Bombay, India)
(04.1946)     no appointment listed
Silcock,
Rosamond Mary
(Mrs.)
Mrs. R.M. Silcock
28.12.1911
-
08.1993
New Forest, Hampshire
C/O
01.12.1941
       
Simeon,
Marguerite [Gladys]
(Miss)
Miss M. Simeon Miss M. Simeon
Second daughter (with three brothers and two sisters) of V.Adm. Sir Charles Edward Barrington Simeon (1890-1955), and Gladys Arkle (1897-1986).
Married (09.03.1946, St Mark's, North Audley Street, Westminster district, London) Capt. Peter Rainier Adams, Indian Army (04.03.1915 - 18.08.1993), son of Henry Rainier Adams (1880-1970), and Ethne Laurie Pringle (1892-1983); three sons.
07.07.1922
Blean district, Kent
-
11.11.1999
Danbury, Chelmsford district, Essex
3/O 02.07.1944
2/O 02.07.1946 (reld 01.08.1946)
02.07.1944 - (04.)1945 HMS Victory III (accounting section, Wantage, Berkshire)
16.06.1945 - (07.)1945 HMS Eaglet (RN base, Liverpool)
27.08.1945 - (04.1946) WRNS Headquarters [HMS Pembroke III (WRNS accounting base, London)]
Simon,
Sheila Beatrice
(née Blundell)
(Mrs.)
Mrs. R.M. Silcock
Married (01.1943, Londonderry) Lt. John Murray Simon, RNR; ... children (one son?).
21.07.1921
Middleton, Co. Cork
-
01.2015
3/O 24.05.1942
2/O 01.05.1944 (reld > 10.1945, < 04.1945)
(08.1942) - (02.)1943 HMS Beaver I (RN base, Grimsby)
10.02.1943 - (10.1944) HMS Beaver II (RN base, Immingham)
(01.1945) - (10.1945) no appointment listed
Her son writes: "She became a signals officer, trained in part in Bletchley Park. She spent substantial time in Hull, was part of the team that hunted the Bismarck and also took in numerous secret ball-bearing deliveries from Swedish ships ex Gothenburg later during the war. She played the accordion in a Wren orchestra and did so on my father’s ship (also a young naval officer). They married on this ship HMS Totland in January 1943 in Londonderry."
Smith,
Nellie
(Mrs.)
see: Pemberton,
Nellie
(Miss)
 
Snow,
Gladys Octavia (née Pott)
"Tivvy"
(Mrs.)
Mrs. G.O. Snow (Photo courtesy of Miranda Broadhurst) Mrs. G.O. Snow (Photo courtesy of Miranda Broadhurst)
Mrs. G.O. Snow (Photo courtesy of Miranda Broadhurst) Mrs. G.O. Snow (Photo courtesy of Miranda Broadhurst)
Daughter (with four sisters and three brothers) of Henry Percivall Pott (1859-1932), stockbroker, and Magdalen Margaret Ord (1876-1960).
Married 1st ((09?).1934, City of London; divorced) Basil Henry Chichester-Constable (1897-1968); one daughter.
Married 2nd ((03?).1940, Gosport district, Hampshire; divorced) Julian Ward Snow (1910-1982).
Relationship with Edmund Wenham "Ted" Prosser.
21.07.1912
Kensington district, London
-
21.10.1987
St Barnabas Hospital, Saltash, Bodmin district, Cornwall
2/O 12.10.1939
1/O 31.07.1940
A/C/O 01.06.1941
C/O 10.1941, seniority 01.06.1941 (reld > 10.1945, < 04.1946)
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) OBE 08.06.1944 HM's birthday 1944 [investiture 21.11.1944]
Defence Medal Def M - -
War Medal 1939-1945 WM 39|45 - -
Coronation Medal 1953 Cor M - -
(12.)1939 - (02.)1940 Portsmouth
(03.)1940 - (06.)1941 HMS St Vincent (training establishment, Gosport)
01.06.1941 - (02.)1944 Chief Officer WRNS Harwich Area & on staff of Flag Officer-in-Charge, Harwich [HMS Badger (RN base, Harwich)] (OBE)
11.02.1944 - (10.)1944 HMS Forward (RN base, Newhaven)
27.11.1944 - (10.1945) Chief Officer WRNS Education, WRNS Headquarters [HMS Pembroke III]
Spencer,
Constance Mary
(Miss)
Miss C.M. Spencer
Daughter of ... Spencer, and ... Padgett.
Married  ((12?).1944, Calder district, West Riding of Yorkshire) Lt. Horace Goodliffe, RNVR (01.05.1920 - 24.12.1980); two sons.
(03?).1920
Bradford district, West Riding of Yorkshire
-
201X?
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Ldg. Wren ?
3/O 28.06.1942
2/O 09.01.1945 (reld > 10.1945, < 04.1946)
1942 - (08.)1942 HMS Leigh (RN base, Southend on Sea)
21.09.1942 - (02.)1944 HMS Torch (minesweeper & Coastal Forces base, Holyhead)
11.03.1944 - (10.1945) HMS Badger (RN base, Harwich)
Spencer-Dane,
Eileen Minnie Gladys
(Miss)
see: Rochester,
Eileen Minnie Gladys (née Spencer-Dane)
(Mrs)
 
Stephenson,
Marie Therese
(Miss)
Miss E.F. Stubbs
Daughter of Dr David Stephenson, of Scarborough, Yorkshire.
Married (06.03.1948) Lt. James Carden [Barclay] Thackray, BSc, RCNVR; two sons, two daughters.
1919 ?
-
A/3/O 17.12.1944
3/O 17.06.1945
2/O 01.04.1946 (reld 01.07.1946)
06.11.1939     enlisted WRNS
17.12.1944 - (07.)1945 HMS Calliope (RN base, Tyne)
1945 - 01.07.1946 WRNS Headquarters [HMS President] (as Personal Assistant to Deputy Director (Welfare) Miss Joan Carpenter) *
* indexed, but not listed as such
Stigner,
Betty Angell
(née Money)
(Mrs)
Miss E.F. Stubbs
Daughter of Cdr. Norman Angell Kyrle Money, OBE, DSC, RN, and Gladys Granshore.
Married 1st (11.12.1941, Oxford, Oxfordshire) F/Lt. Desmond Victor Varian, RAFVR (killed in action 1942).
Married 2nd ((12?).1943, Folkestone district, Kent) F/Lt. Jack Hubert Stigner, RAFVR (marriage dissolved); two sons.
Married 3rd ((12?).1959, Chelsea district, Middlesex) Maj. Melville Hope McLaren Dynes.
08.03.1920
Totnes district, Devon
-
01.1992
Torbay district, Devon
3/O 10.06.1940
2/O 23.07.1943 (reld 07.04.1945; own request)
(10.1940) - (12.1941) HMS Skirmisher (RN base, Milford Haven)
01.04.1942 - (04.)1944 HMS Eaglet (RN base, Liverpool)
05.05.1944 - (06.)1944 HMS Vectis (RN base, Seaview, Isle of Wight)
(10.1944)     no appointment listed
(01.1945)     no appointment listed
Stubbs,
Ella Faith
(Miss)
Miss E.F. Stubbs
(03?).1909
St Pancras district, Greater London
-
C/O
01.10.1941
  OBE ?  
       
Sturdee,
Elizabeth Mary Doveton
(Miss)
Miss E.M.D. Sturdee (Photo courtesy of Mr Dominique Henrard)
Only daughter of R.Adm. Sir Lionel Arthur Doveton Sturdee, 2nd Bt, CBE (1884-1970), and Dorothy Mary Mowbray Sayer (1884-1966).
Married (11.12.1942, Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, Westminster, London) Lt. (later Adm. of the Fleet Sir) Edward Beckwith Ashmore, RN (11.12.1919 - 28.04.2016); one son, two daughters.
(09?).1919
St Germans district, Cornwall / Devon
-
26.04.2014
3/O 18.08.1939
2/O 23.03.1942 (reld > 02.1944, < 04.1944)
Education: WRNS Officers' Training Course at Greenwich.
(12.)1939 - (04.)1940 HMS Victory (RN base, Portsmouth)
(05.)1940 - (04.)1941 HMS Dolphin (submarine depot, Gosport)
(06.)1941 - (04.)1942 WRNS HQ [HMS Pembroke III]
(06.)1942 - (12.1942) lent to Canadian Government
(02.1943) - (04.)1943 HMS Pembroke III (WRNS accounting base, London)
(06.1943)     HMS Forward (RN base, Newhaven) *
(08.1943) - (02.1944) no appointment listed
* indexed, but not listed as such
Sudbury,
Marjorie Enid (née Wiltshire)
(Mrs)
Mrs. M.E. Sudbury (née Wiltshire) (Photo courtesy of Mr Simon Sudbury) Mrs. M.E. Sudbury (née Wiltshire) (Photo courtesy of Mr Simon Sudbury)
Mrs. M.E. Sudbury (née Wiltshire) (Photo courtesy of Mr Simon Sudbury)
Daughter of Frederick W. Wiltshire, and Dorothy Enid Pharoah.
Married (21.12.1941, Worthing district, Sussex) Lt. Richard Arnold Sudbury, RNVR (09.05.1914
- 23.08.1983); one son, one daughter.
22.06.1920
Steyning district, Sussex
-
06.04.2013
Bath, Somerset
Wren ?
3/O 18.10.1942 (reld > 06.1944, < 10.1944)
10.1942? - (11.)1942 HMS Pembroke III (WRNS accounting base, London)
29.11.1942 - (08.)1943 HMS Forte (RN base, Falmouth)
(10.1943) - (06.1944) no appointment listed
Suddaby,
Elizabeth
(Miss)
Mrs. N. Swayne
Younger daughter of Mr & Mrs J. Suddaby, of Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield.
Engaged (02.1945; broken off 05.1946) El.Lt. James Cameron Robertson, RNVR.
07.05.1920
-
03.08.2008
Headington, Oxford
A/3/O 11.04.1943
3/O 13.11.1943, seniority 11.04.1943
2/O 21.11.1945
18.04.1943 - (04.)1944 HMS Cochrane II (supply & accounting base for tenders, Rosyth)
(06.1944)     no appointment listed
23.06.1944 - (07.1945) HMS Stopford (Combined Operations training establishment, Bo'ness, West Lothian)
11.03.1946 - (04.1946) HMS Flycatcher (RN Air Station, Ludham, Norfolk)
University lecturer in Anglo-Saxon English at Exeter and Oxford.
Swayne,
Nora
(Mrs.)
Mrs. N. Swayne
?
-
C/O
27.11.1942
       
Swift,
Jean Hallam
(Miss)
Miss Jean Hallam Swift
Daughter (with two sisters and two brothers) of Henry Swift (1883-1965), and Alice Hallam (1890-1973).
Married ((09?).1947, Shrewsbury district, Shropshire) Sg.Lt.Cdr. Paul Winchester Houghton, RNVR (30.09.1911 - 05.08.2009); one daughter, one son.
24.05.1921
Wellington, Shropshire
-
24.02.2011
Worcester, Worcestershire
3/O 03.04.1943
2/O 01.05.1944 (reld > 07.1946, < 10.1946)
02.05.1943 - (01.)1945 HMS Excellent (gunnery school, Portsmouth)
26.03.1945 - (07.1946) RN Hospital, Plymouth [HMS Drake]
 
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