- Author
- Letter Writer
- Subjects
- Letter to the Editor
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- June 1996 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
With reference to the article in your Review (March 1996) by Mrs. Mildred Greaves, I must confess I never remember seeing or hearing of them (Women’s Volunteer Naval Reserve). I joined a similar organisation, the Women’s Reserve Emergency Naval Service.
We had just about the same uniform later in the WRANS – same hat etc. We trained in all aspects of navy branches and later most if not all were called into the Navy. I enclose a copy of a recent lecture given by Kathryn Spurting who obtained her Honours degree at University with this study. She gave this lecture in Sydney at the Maritime Museum (May 1995) to many naval officers and others. (Published in the “Royal Australian Navy in World War II” – edited by David Stevens, Allen and Unwin Pty Ltd. 9 Atchison Street, St Leonards NSW 2065.)
I am very proud to have been a member of the volunteer Reserve which was the nucleus of the WRANS. I served in the supply branch and was discharged as a P.O. WRAN.
Sincerely, Mrs Lorna Mill
[Ed-August 2016: The copy of the lecture given by Kathryn Spurting was not published in the Review. However those wishing more information might refer to “Royal Australian Navy in World War II”]