How to find if your ancestor was in the WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service)

The click of typewriter keys, the hum of wireless rooms, the salt air drifting across a windswept dockyard. For thousands of women, wartime service in the Navy meant stepping into roles that quietly kept Britain afloat. 

The Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was first formed during the First World War, offering women the chance to support the Royal Navy in shore-based roles. Though disbanded after the war, it was re-established in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War, when women were once again urgently needed. 

Wrens Hazel Morris and Gladys Carter on board a duty boat in Plymouth, 20 November 1944. 

Commandant Anne Spencer, later Dame Anne Spencer, became the first officer appointed to lead the revived service in 1939. Under her command, the WRNS expanded rapidly, shaping opportunities for women in the Navy for generations to come. 

Wrens worked as clerks, cooks, drivers, telegraphists, radar operators and mechanics, freeing men for sea service while maintaining strict naval standards. They were subject to the Naval Discipline Act, wore uniforms, and lived by naval routines, even if they never sailed into combat. 

Many families know a relative served in the war but lack the necessary details. When tracing Wrens ancestors, start by gathering what you already know - names, approximate dates, places lived during wartime, or hints from family stories, letters or photographs. 

Unlike sailors, most women served ashore, so their records may not mention ships but instead list naval bases, depots or specialist units. Some records even reference WRNS officers who supervised training, welfare and discipline. 

Findmypast hosts a growing collection of Royal Navy records that can help you trace women who served. These include service and pension records, wartime rolls, and associated naval documentation that name women alongside male personnel. 

You may uncover: 

• Dates of enlistment and discharge 
• Rank and role within the WRNS 
• Locations of service 
• Notes on conduct, promotion or commendation 

Tracing WRNS history with old newspapers 

Newspaper archives are especially powerful for uncovering women's history. Local papers often celebrated women joining the services, reported on inspections or social events, and published personal stories that official records never captured. 

Using Findmypast's ever-growing newspaper archive, you can delve deeper into the stories of the brave women of the WRNS. 

The WRNS had its own rank structure, which was distinct but parallel to the wider Navy. Senior women, including WRNS officers, held significant responsibility, managing units, training recruits and maintaining discipline. 

• Chief Officer: The most senior rank in the WRNS, equivalent to a naval captain, responsible for overall leadership, policy, and the direction of the service. 
• First Officer: A senior WRNS officer who often managed large sections or establishments, overseeing personnel, training, and operational readiness. 
• Second Officer: Typically responsible for supervising day-to-day duties, administration, and junior officers within a unit or shore base. 
• Third Officer: An entry-level officer rank, often held by women newly commissioned into leadership roles, assisting with supervision and specialist duties. 
• Chief Wren: The highest non-officer rank, similar to a chief petty officer, providing experienced oversight of ratings and maintaining standards and discipline. 
• Leading Wren: A supervisory rank responsible for guiding and supporting junior Wrens in their daily work. 
• Wren: The basic rank, held by women carrying out essential wartime roles such as communications, clerical work, mechanics, and intelligence support. 

While records help you to pinpoint the where and when, newspapers can add colour and context to your understanding. Service files, photos and news clippings offer insight into their experiences: long shifts in freezing signal huts, shared laughter in cramped billets, and the pride of wearing uniform at a time when women's roles were rapidly changing. 

Whether your ancestor joined during the First World War or answered the call in the decades after, the WRNS service was a bold step into new territory. By tracing their records, you're reclaiming the stories of women whose courage helped shape naval history.