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

British officers | RN | RNR | RNVR | RM | home

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

Looking for details on a WRNS officer not listed here yet?
Just e-mail me, and I might be able to help out.
Of course, any additions, corrections etc. can also be e-mailed.

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.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Wallace-Smith, J.V.
to
Woollcombe, J.M.

Walker,
Edith Felicity
(Miss)

see:

Wilkinson,
Edith Felicity
(Mrs)

Wallace-Smith,
Jessie Vida
(Miss)
Miss J.V. Wallace-Smith

(09?).1901
Islington district, Greater London
-

C/O	11.10.1943

Walters,
Alixandrina Rose
(Mrs)

see:

Pott,
Alixandrina Rose
(Miss)

Warden,
Marjorie
(Mrs.)
Mrs. M. Warden

?
-

C/O	06.09.1943

Watson,
Daphne Norah Horsfall
(Miss)
Miss D.N.H. Watson

Youngest daughter (with two sisters) of Francis Watson (1884-1953), and Dorothy Nora Matcham Michael. (1890-1933)
Married ((09?).1943, Kensington district, London) Henry Felix Clement "Buffy" Hebeler (21.04.1917 - 16.10.1989), son (with one brother) of Henry Leychester Hebeler (1872-1930), and Phyllis Margaret Parker (1886-1965); one son.

06.07.1921
Poole district, Dorset
-
21.08.1946
Yeovil district, Somerset

Ldg. Wren	?
3/O	05.04.1942 (reld > 07.1945, < 10.1945)

Music student.

05.04.1942	-	(10.1943)	HMS Pembroke III (WRNS accounting base, London)
(12.1943)	-	(02.1944)	no appointment listed
03.03.1944	-	(10.1944)	HMS Heron (RN Air Station, Yeovilton, Somerset)
(01.1945)	-	(07.1945)	no appointment listed

Watson,
Katherine Agnes
(Miss)
Miss K.A. Watson

21.06.1918
Ceylon
-
13.06.2008
hospital, Oxford

A/3/O	25.12.1943
3/O	1945?, seniority 25.12.1943 (reld < 04.1946)

26.03.1944

(07.1945)

HMS Lanka (RN base, Colombo, Ceylon)

Welby,
Euphemia Violet
(née Lyon)
(Mrs.)
Mrs. E.V. Welby

28.09.1891
Stoke Damerel district, Devon
-
06.05.1987
Tintinhull nr. Yeovil, Somerset

Supt.

12.06.1939

CBE

01.01.1944

New Year 44

1914	-	1916	Hon. Sec. SS&AFA Devonport (later Hon. Sec. SS&AFA)
1916	-	1919	Red Cross Cook, Malta
1939	-	1945	WRNS service:
12.06.1939	-	(07.1945)	on Staff of Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth [HMS Drake]
			social work on committees in Plymouth and Chairman Astor Institute. JP Somerset, 1947

Wenden,
Jane
(Miss)
Miss J. Wenden

?
-

C/O	01.01.1945

Wilkinson,
Edith Felicity
"Felix"
(née Walker)
(Mrs.)
Mrs. F.H. Williams

Daughter of Norman Duguid Walker (1880-1961), solicitor, and Ada Russell (1879-1977), of Ryton-on-Tyne, Co. Durham.
Sister of:
Lt.Cdr. J.R.D. Walker, RNVR,
Lt. R.F. Walker, RNVR,
Lt. G.H. Walker, RNVR,
Lt. (A) F.N. Walker, RNVR,
Lt. R.J. Walker, RNVR.
Married (23.07.1941) Capt. (then Lt.) John Valentine Wilkinson, RN; one son, two daughters.

08.09.1916
Newcastle, Castle Ward district, Northumberland
-
12.2008 still alive

Prob. 3/O	26.11.1940
3/O	02.1941, seniority 26.11.1940 (reld < 06.1944)

(02.1941)	-	(12.1941)	HMS Cochrane II (supply & accounting base for tenders, Rosyth)
(06.1943)	-	(04.1944)	no appointment listed
			possibly at some point Cypher Officer at Liverpool [HMS Eaglet?]

Her sister Margaret Anne "Peggy" Walker (03.05.1909 Newcastle, Northumberland - 25.05.1984 Wayland, Norfolk) also served in the WRNS (in the ranks) as a transport driver in Newcastle. After the war, she taught French at a secondary school in Jersey until her retirement. She never married and had no children.

Williams,
Daphne Maude Ross
(Miss)
Mrs. F.H. Williams

Daughter of Mr & Mrs F.W. Williams, of Greystones, Co. Wicklow, Eire.
Married (27.10.1944, St Margaret's Church, Putney, Wandsworth district, London SW15) S.Lt. John Wyatt Hoare, RNVR; ... children (one son?).

29.04.1917
-

Ldg. Wren	?
3/0	07.06.1942
A/2/O	07.06.1943
2/O	1943?, seniority 07.06.1943 (reld > 07.1945, < 04.1946)

(08.1942)	-	(02.)1943	HMS Pembroke III (WRNS accounting base, London)
(04.1943)			HMS Eaglet (RN base, Liverpool)
(06.1943)			HMS Eaglet (RN base, Liverpool) *
07.06.1943	-	(08.)1943	HMS Skirmisher (RN base, Milford Haven)
27.09.1943	-	(04.)1944	HMS Eaglet (RN base, Liverpool)
29.04.1944	-	(06.)1944	HMS Defender (ocean escort base, Liverpool)
(10.1944)			no appointment listed
29.12.1944	-	(07.1945)	HMS St George (training establishment, Douglas, Isle of Man)

* indexed, but not listed as such

Williams,
Diana Muriel [Glyndwr]
(Miss)
Miss D.M. Williams

Daughter of Thomas Glyndwr "Glyn" Williams (1892-1972), and Muriel Pelham Mackley (1898-1958).
Married ((07?).1946, Chichester district, Sussex) Lt. Robin St George Summons RN (29.03.1923 - 05.06.1990); three sons, one daughter.

23.08.1921
-
27.08.2016
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
[Flinders Cemetery, Victoria, Australia]

A/3/O	31.10.1943
3/O	1944?, seniority 31.10.1943

(12.1943)	-	(04.1944)	HMS Dundonald II (Combined Operations training establishment, Auchengate) *
(06.1944)			no appointment listed
21.08.1944	-	(07.1945)	HMS Braganza (RN base, Bombay, India)

* indexed, but not listed as such

Williams,
Frances Hilary
(Mrs.)
Mrs. F.H. Williams

26.01.1901 ?
-
05.1989 ?
Haverfordwest, Dyfed ?

C/O	30.08.1943

Williams,
Joan Harvey
(Miss)
J.H. Williams (Photo courtesy of Mr Mick Ofield)

Daughter of William Bennett Williams (1888-1983), Major in the Artillery in World War I, and Adelaide M. Roberts.
Married Lt. Graham Ofield, RNVR; one daughter, one son.

c. 1919
-
12.2008 still alive

A/3/O	27.06.1943
3/O	18.02.1944, seniority 27.06.1943 (reld < 04.1946)

27.06.1943	-	(10.)1943	HMS Warren (Combined Operations base, Largs)
(12.1943)			no appointment listed
27.12.1943	-	(07.1945)	HMS St Angelo (RN base, Malta)

Wilson,
Margaret Helen Werden
"Peggy"
(Miss)
Miss M.H.W. Wilson

Daughter (with three sisters and five brothers) of Capt. William Werden Wilson, RN (1877-1950), and Sophie Irene Whittemore (1886-1934).
Sister of Capt. Peter Werden Wilson, KRRC.
Married (15.02.1947, New York City, NY, USA) Capt. Michael Leonard "Mike" Lejeune, KRRC (22.03.1918 - ), American international finance official, son of Francis Arnold Lejeune (1888-1977), and Hilda Agatha Gladys Brown (1892-1987); two sons, one daughter.

14.11.1918
Plymstock, Devon
-
20.08.2010
Valle Verde, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

A/3/O	21.11.1943
3/O	14.08.1944, seniority 21.11.1943
2/O	01.10.1945 (reld > 04.1946)

			enlisted as a rating, serving as driver for officers
(04.1944)			no appointment listed
(06.1944)			no appointment listed
28.10.1944	-	(10.1944)	HMS Drake (RN base, Devonport)
(01.1945)			no appointment listed
(07.1945)			no appointment listed
22.02.1946	-	(04.1946)	HMS Jackdaw (RN Air Station, Crail, Fife)

Woollcombe,
[Dame] Jocelyn May
(Miss)
Miss J.M. Woollcombe

09.05.1898
Portsmouth, Hampshire
-
30.01.1986
Plymouth, Devon

C/O	08.1939
Supt.	14.05.1940

	DBE	02.01.1950	New Year 50
	CBE	08.06.1944	HM's birthday 44

Education: Moorfield, Plymouth

1916	-	1919	Admiralty, NID as Clerk
08.1939			joined WRNS, enrolled as Chief Officer
1943	-	1946	Deputy Director Manning, WRNS HQ, Admiralty [HMS Pembroke III]
1946	-	1950	Director, WRNS
			Hon. ADC to the King, 1949. General Secretary, British Council for Aid to Refugees (Hungarian Section), 1957-58. Governor, The Sister Trust, 1956-65; Gov., WRNS Benevolent Trust, 1942-67; Pres., Assoc. of Wrens 1959-81

Wright,
Dorothy Edith
(Miss)

see:

Dunsby,
Dorothy Edith
(Mrs)

PREVIOUS PAGE (V)

NEXT PAGE (X)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Wallace-Smith, J.V.
to
Woollcombe, J.M.