View source for Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service
| image                         =
| image_size                    =
| caption                       =
| start_date                    =
| dates                         = 1942–1946<br>1947–1977
| country                       = New Zealand
| type                          = [[Navy]]
| role                          = [[Naval warfare]]
| size                          = [[Personnel]]:
* 519 (peak strength)
| command_structure             =
| garrison                      =
| garrison_label                =
| nickname                      =
| patron                        =
| motto                         =
| colors                        =
| colors_label                  =
| mascot                        =
| equipment                     =
| equipment_label               =
| battles                       = [[Second World War]]
* Home Front
| anniversaries                 =
| decorations                   =
| battle_honours                = <!-- Commanders -->
|notable_commanders            = [[Ruth Herrick]] (1942–1946)<br>[[Lorelle Corbin]] (1947–1963)
}}
The '''Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service''' (WRNZNS) was the female auxiliary of the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] (RNZN). Raised during the Second World War, most of its personnel, known as Wrens, served as signallers and operators of naval equipment on the Home Front. At its peak, it had a strength of over 500 serving personnel. The WRNZNS disbanded in 1946 but was resurrected the following year to compensate for reduced manpower in the RNZN. It was disbanded again in 1977 when women were allowed to serve with the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]].
==Formation==
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, it was some time before the potential contribution of women to the war effort was appreciated in New Zealand.{{sfn|Hall|1948|pp=3–6}} It was not until late 1940 that a [[Women's War Service Auxiliary]] (WWSA) was formed with the task of co-ordinating the use of women in the war effort. This then led to the formation of female auxiliary services for the branches of the [[New Zealand Military Forces]].{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=617}} By May 1941, there was official discussion for a naval service for women. At that time, female civilian employees of the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] (RNZN) had already replaced men in some roles, mainly in supply and clerical work.{{sfn|Hall|1948|pp=3–6}}
Following further discussion, one topic of debate being whether women would be required to work at nights before it was realised that this would overly limit their potential contribution to the war effort, the New Zealand [[War cabinet]] approved the establishment of the Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service (WRNZNS) in April 1942.{{sfn|Hall|1948|pp=3–6}}<ref name=RNZN>{{cite web |title=Women in RNZN Timeline |url=https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-themes/world-war-two-by-themes/women-in-the-rnzn-timeline/ |publisher=National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy |access-date=15 January 2021}}</ref> The first director of the service was [[Ruth Herrick]], with the rank of chief officer,<ref name=DNZB1>{{DNZB|Bright|Judith|4h29|Herrick, Hermione Ruth|15 January 2021}}</ref> appointed on 18 May. [[King George VI]] conferred the service with royal status a few months later.{{sfn|Waters|1956|p=431}}
Applicants to join the WRNZNS were initially screened by the WWSA, of which Herrick was a key member. However, the WWSA ceased to be involved after a few months as there was increasing dissatisfaction with how recruitment was being handled. Ruth Herrick proved to be a strict recruiter and of the initial applicants over a third were rejected.  Applications were then transferred to the National Service Department, responsible for recruitment into the New Zealand Military Forces. This saw an increased number of applications as the year progressed.{{sfn|Taylor|1986|pp=1112–1114}} <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Pine |first=Madison |last2=Pym |first2=Hannah |title=80th Anniversary of the Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service |url=https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/wrnzns |url-status= |access-date=11 April 2022}}</ref>
WRNZNS personnel, known as Wrens, were required to serve for the duration of the war and then a 12-month period afterwards, unless discharged prior. From November 1942, under the terms of the ''Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service Emergency Regulations'', the WRNZNS was incorporated into the RNZN. Wrens were subject to many of the laws and regulations that applied to personnel of the RNZN, but also enjoyed some of the benefits as well. Initially, most only worked at naval establishments near their homes but later, it was expected that they could be employed anywhere in New Zealand.{{sfn|Hall|1948|pp=3–6}}{{sfn|Taylor|1986|pp=1112–1114}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/num_reg/wrnznser1942579/ |title=Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service Emergency Regulations 1942|work=New Zealand Legal Information Institute |year=2021 |access-date=24 January 2021}}</ref>
The organisation was arranged along the lines of the [[Women's Royal Naval Service|equivalent organisation]] in the United Kingdom. Recruits underwent a brief period of training at [[HMNZS Philomel|HMNZS ''Philomel'']], the RNZN training establishment at [[Devonport, New Zealand|Devonport]] in [[Auckland]].{{sfn|Waters|1956|pp=432–434}}
==War service==
[[File:A Wren of the WRNZNS.jpg|thumb|A Wren of the WRNZNS on the deck of the Commodore's launch]]
The first Wren commenced service in July 1942, and by the end of the year, the organisation had 155 Wrens on strength.{{sfn|Waters|1956|pp=432–434}} Some of the early recruits to the WRNZNS were the civilians previously employed by the RNZN; their dates of commencement of service was antedated so that they were prioritised for promotion.{{sfn|Hall|1948|pp=3–6}}
Many Wrens were taught signalling and this formed a major function for the WRNZNS.{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=620}} Some were employed at the [[Naval Communications Station Irirangi|naval wireless telegraph station]] at [[Waiouru Military Camp]] in the central [[North Island]]. Others were drivers, cooks, clerks, or worked in the medical services. In Auckland, the Commodore's launch was staffed by Wrens and they also performed servicing work on torpedoes.{{sfn|Waters|1956|pp=432–434}} Some were trained in [[radar]] duties and worked in this capacity at [[Takapuna]] while others worked at an experimental radar station at [[Mount Victoria (Wellington hill)|Mount Victoria]], in [[Wellington]], that was operated by the [[Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Zealand)|Department of Scientific and Industrial Research]].{{sfn|Waters|1956|p=460}} Teams of Wrens operated degaussing ranges at Auckland and Wellington. Although a secret at the time, from late 1942 eight Wrens served in an intelligence station in [[Blenheim, New Zealand|Blenheim]], monitoring Japanese navy radio traffic.<ref name=Wrens/><ref name=":0" />
In 1945, the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] requested 200 Wrens for service in its naval bases in the Far East. This had to be declined as the WRNZNS had insufficient numbers to fulfill the request. Although it had an authorised establishment of 700 personnel, it never reached this total. At its largest, in October 1944, the service only numbered 519 personnel. In total, 633 women served in the WRNZNS during the war. None of its personnel served overseas, in contrast to the corresponding women's army and air force services.{{sfn|Waters|1956|pp=432–434}}
In the immediate postwar period, most Wrens were used to assist in the demobilisation of the RNZN, under the auspices of the Navy Office. By March 1946, WRNZNS had less than 300 personnel, and the organisation was disestablished at the end of the year. Herrick was made an officer of the [[Order of the British Empire]] for her services while Director of the WRNZNS.<ref name=DNZB1/>
==Re-establishment==
In 1947, the RNZN was depleted in manpower after a strike over postwar service conditions. To help remedy this, the WRNZNS was re-established so that Wrens could assume some of the onshore duties performed by RNZN personnel, freeing the men up for service at sea.<ref name=Wrens/> [[Lorelle Corbin]] was the director of the WRNZNS; she served with the organisation during its war years and had been part of the New Zealand contingent in the [[London Victory Celebrations of 1946|victory parade]] held in London the previous year. In 1950, legislation was passed by the New Zealand Government that officially made the WRNZNS part of the RNZN.<ref name=DNZB2>{{DNZB|last=Tunnicliff|first=Shirley|id=5c35|title=Lorelle Henderson Corbin|accessdate=15 January 2021}}</ref>
In its reconstituted form, the WRNZNS struggled to attract personnel and Corbin maintained the high standards for recruits set by her predecessor. Its personnel were mainly employed in two locations, at ''Philomel'' and the Navy Office in Wellington.<ref name=DNZB2/> Wrens had less opportunities in peacetime, and much of the work they had performed during the war years was now carried out by men of the RNZN. By the 1960s, there were fewer than 50 Wrens serving in the WRNZNS. To retain Wrens, they were allowed to remain in the service if they married.<ref name=Wrens>{{cite web |title=Wrens |url=https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-themes/world-war-one/wrens/ |publisher=National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy |access-date=15 January 2021}}</ref>
As with the corresponding army and air force women's services, the WRNZNS was disbanded in 1977. This followed the introduction of the Human Rights Commission Act 1977, leading to a decision to do away with separate services for women in the New Zealand military. Women were now able to serve alongside men in the RNZN. The final parade of the WRNZNS was in July that year.<ref name=RNZN/>{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=623}} During its existence between 1942 and 1977, 1921 women served in the WRNZNS.
==See also==
*[[New Zealand Women's Auxiliary Air Force|Women's Auxiliary Air Force]]
*[[Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (New Zealand)|Women's Auxiliary Army Corps]]
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
*{{cite book |last1=Hall |first1=D. O. W | title=Episodes & Studies: Women at War |series=[[Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45]]|date=1948|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1Epi-t1-g1-t3.html|publisher=War History Branch|location=Wellington, New Zealand}}
*{{cite book|editor-last=McGibbon|editor-first=Ian|editor-link=Ian McGibbon|title=The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History|year=2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Auckland, New Zealand|isbn=0-19-558376-0}}
*{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=Nancy|title=The Home Front: Volume II|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2Hom.html|series=[[Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45]]|year=1986|publisher=Historical Publications Branch|location=Wellington, New Zealand|isbn=0-477-01260-4}}
*{{cite book|last=Waters|first=S. D.|title=The Royal New Zealand Navy|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy.html|series=[[Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45]]|year=1956|publisher=War History Branch|location=Wellington, New Zealand|oclc=800613100}}
==External links==
* [https://rnzncomms.org/wrens/ RNZN Communicators Association: Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service 1942–1977]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service}}
[[Category:Military history of New Zealand during World War II]]
[[Category:New Zealand in World War II]]
[[Category:Royal New Zealand Navy]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in New Zealand]]
[[Category:All-female military units and formations]]
[[Category:New Zealand women in World War II]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1942]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1977]]