The Foundation of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service:1942—Brief notes
It was said that Canada asked the British Admiralty by signal ‘Please send us a Mother Wren”*
and while that communiqué has not surfaced in Archives, we wish to believe that is true.
The following personnel returned to Britain and in 1947 according to the Wren Newsletter ** were:
The British Wrens *1947
-Joan Carpenter C.B.E ‘retired May 1946, last appointment Deputy Director Welfare, W.R.N.S HQ.
Secretary. W.R.N.S. Benevolent Fund.
-Dorothy Isherwood ‘appointed Commander of British Empire 1947, retired 1946 serving in the Mediterranean as Superintendent to Commander , returned to BBC
June 1943 appointed Acting Captain D/WRCNS replacing Captain Brock.
-Doris Taylor ‘after serving W.R.C.N.S.- joined UNRRA retired 1947
-Lorna Kellet ‘retired May 1947 Chief Officer Portsmouth, joined BBC
-Betty Samuel ‘retired 1946 after serving one year in Australia, Chief Officer on staff- now in Germany with Control Commission
-Elizabeth Sturdee mentioned by Isherwood, returned early to be married in UK
Additional Information: The Canadian Wrens :1947
-Adelaide Grant Macdonald Sinclair O.B.E., L.LD :
‘ In 1947 Executive Assistant to Deputy Minister of Welfare
Lt Cdr Sinclair became Director and Commander 1943-45 of Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service.
-Isobel Janet Macneill: O.B.E., L.L.D. and O.C.
Joined 1942, Lt Cdr 1943, CO of HMCS Conestoga in Galt 1943-45.
‘Only woman in the Canadian Navy to Command a Ship’
Returned briefly in 1954 to RCN.
Honourary Commandant of the WRCNS: 1947
H.R.H. Princess Alice Mary
Original Director of the Women’s Services 1942
Captain Eustache Brock