Letters: Women’s Volunteer Naval Reserve

Author

Letter Writer

Subjects

History - WW2, Letter to the Editor

Tags

Women, Osborne House, WVNR

RAN Ships

None noted.

Publication

March 1996 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

[Ed: Dec 1995 edition from the Victorian Chapter: Osborne House and its maritime museum at Geelong was under threat to be sold by the local council. The site of the first Royal Australian Naval College, and home for the R.A.N.’s first submarines, the old J. Class- was indeed saved from sale and oblivion. Our voice, in concert with others influenced a change of heart by Geelong Council.]

Congratulations on a very informative, interesting edition of N.H.R. – I was particularly interested in the article on page 23, regarding Osborne House, Geelong, as my late father-in-law, Hubert Lawrence Maynard Greaves, was caretaker there from early 1923 until June 1926. I have his records from the R.N. and R.A.N. and R.A.N.R. Also his Certificates of appointment as Warrant Instructor and Commissioned Warrant Officer. His records make fascinating reading, particularly the time he spent in the R.A.N. in Papua New Guinea, when he took part in the capture of the German Wireless Station at Bitapaka – WWI.

I also feel a great bond with both Father and Son, as when I joined the W.V.N.R.** I received training from a dedicated father-in-law, a strict R. N. man, and great support from my then fiancé, himself serving in HMAS “CANBERRA”. After finishing his service in 1946, Laurie joined Hornsby R & S L Sub-Branch, and was a Life Member there until his death in 1993. Recently I was surprised to receive an invitation from the Sub-Branch Secretary to apply for membership in the Sub-Branch under my own name. This invitation was extended because of my involvement with both Red Cross and the W.V.N.R. RSL HQ. advised Branch that provided I could produce background of the W.V.N.R. to their satisfaction, there should be no reason to refuse my application.

After much research and receipt of some valuable information forwarded to me by the Department of Defence (Navy) Canberra I was able to satisfy State HQ. I must say the Defence people were very helpful, and also a little intrigued as they had no idea such a unit ever existed (maybe the people I approached were of a much younger generation – after all, 1940 is 50 years ago!). I expect one could consider the W.V.N.R. the nucleus of the W.R.A.N.S. which I think were formed in 1942.

Our organisation operated out of ‘Vigilant’ Training Depot, 212-214 George Street, Sydney. Training covered Seamanship, Drill, Boating, Signalling (all coded), Wireless Telegraphy, Ambulance, Anti-Gas and Air Raid Precautions, using the Admiralty Manual of Seamanship and Drill.

Our uniforms were navy jacket and skirt, white shirt, black tie, silk stockings, navy peaked cap with red anchor badge, which I think would have been a mercantile marine badge (not sure about that). My uniform was as shown in the enclosed Photostat, which is not a very clear specimen.

Our organisation did not have any formal ties with the R.A.N. however we were registered with the Womens’ Voluntary National Register which was an ‘umbrella’ organisation for Associations such as the W.V.N.R. Our Captain at that time was a Miss G. E. Pryce.

You may, or may not, be interested in the foregoing. If you should be please let me know, and I will forward a copy of the Training Syllabus and Constitution and Membership, W.V.N.R. After all – it is history!

** Womens’ Volunteer Naval Reserve

Mildred Greaves