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Did your ancestor serve in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the First World War? These records document the service of women who joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service during the final years of the First World War. Established in 1917, the WRNS enabled women to take on shore-based naval roles such as clerical work, communications, driving, cookery, and technical support, releasing men for service at sea. Compiled by naval authorities, these records typically include a woman’s name, service details, and dates of enlistment and discharge. For family historians, they offer valuable insight into women’s wartime contribution, highlighting how female labour became an essential part of Britain’s naval war effort and marking a significant moment in the changing role of women in the armed forces. Created in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
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The Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was established in 1917 in response to the growing manpower crisis faced by the Royal Navy during the First World War. As naval commitments expanded and casualties mounted, the Admiralty recognised the need to release more men for service at sea by employing women in essential shore-based roles. The WRNS recruited women into a wide range of occupations, including clerical work, telegraphy and wireless operation, driving, cookery, and technical support. Members were officially part of the naval service, wore uniform, and were subject to naval discipline, marking a significant shift in attitudes toward women’s participation in military structures.
Between 1917 and 1919, over 7,000 women served in the WRNS at naval bases, dockyards, and offices across Britain and overseas. Their work proved vital to the efficient running of the wartime navy, helping to maintain communications, logistics, and administration during a period of intense pressure. Despite their success, the WRNS was disbanded in 1919 following the end of the war, reflecting wider postwar assumptions about gender and employment. Nevertheless, its legacy endured, laying the foundations for the permanent re-establishment of the WRNS in 1939 and reshaping perceptions of women’s role in naval and military service.
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