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  #16  
Old 03-02-10, 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by RCN View Post
Doing this from my head Ray, but pretty certain the top female rank was Commander, I will have to have a look.

Bryan
OK I had a look & see the top rank in '57 {the RCN was at its maximum personnel strength in the late '50's - many old matelots say the '50's were the 'glory days ' of the RCN- lots of ships, aircraft carrier, outstanding material program, strong FAA, excellent educational programs, huge Fleet school, etc -- things were really looking up for the RCN in this time frame} was Commander(W). This rank was held by Cdr (W)Isabel McNeill, she retired July 31 '57 & she was the first Canadian wren officer to be decorated [OBE] & the first & only woman in the RCN to hold a
command. She held the top job as Staff Officer WRCNS on the staff of the Chief of Naval Personnel.

A note of interest here ---- when the WRCNS was re-established in 1952, they were part of the permanent force establishment - not a separate entity as they were in 2WW. They were fully integrated into the RCN, wore the gold, red & blue badges, same as the RCN. They wore blue badges in 2WW.
Canada took the lead in this being the first Commonwealth Navy to have WRCNS integrated in the regular force structure.

So this meant that Commader McNeill was not a Commander WRCNS, but rather a Commander (W), RCN.

Photo below.............

Hope of interest...............Bryan


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File Type: jpg Mcneill 001.jpg (50.1 KB, 8 views)

Last edited by RCN; 04-02-10 at 12:24 AM.
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  #17  
Old 03-02-10, 11:07 PM
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Originally Posted by boots and saddles View Post
That metal badge was a monster in size, in fact the officer badge was a big one anyway but I have a metal one & it's BIG.
Ray, you mentioning the size of the Officer's cap badge brings back a memory from my days at Cornwallis undergoing NE (New Entry) training back in early '60's - still very vivid in my mind. NE training at Cornwallis was something everyone went thru when entering the RCN - did not matter if you had previous service in another force (& we had ex Army & Air types in the RCN) or another Commonwealth navy - everyone went thru the 20 wks at Cornwallis, & it was similar to the USMC training at Parris Island - it was murder believe me. You doubled (ran) for 20 wks everywhere, all the time! Ask any old RCN vet & he will remember his time at Cornwallis - you just dont forget that!!!

However, I digress --- we entered a block called "joining block" -- it was separate from the regular living blocks, something like an isolation block, you were kept separate from the regular establishment for 2 wks, then went "up the hill" to what was to become your "home" - your regular block, for the remaining 18 wks training - the whole division, about 60 men with an old (to most of us teenagers) PO2 in charge. He had three GCB's [I dont want to relate what he said to the smartass who called him a Sergeant the first day!] & about 3 rows of 2WW ribbons, I think our P2 was a Quartermaster rate -he looked the part believe me. All this P2 did was yell at us for the two wks he had us - he was responsible for initiating us into the "Navy way of doing things". About day two or three he taught us insignia - he had no pictures or projector anything like that - just the examples of the badges. In a very loud voice he said something to this effect ----------

""Now this hyer - this be an Orficers cap badge, its f****n BIG & has lots of gold on it, you gotta be f***n blind to miss it, and when you see one of these on a cap you bloody well give an eyes right and git yr f****n hand to yer cap bej***s quick....."

just reminded me of Robert Newton playing Long John Silver!!!

B

Last edited by RCN; 04-02-10 at 12:22 AM.
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  #18  
Old 04-02-10, 12:44 AM
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Wartime picture.
http://www.rcnvr.com/MacNeil%20LCdr%...20100_3040.jpg
Also her style of headress is mentioned here-page 3 'Dressing the Wrens'.
http://www.noavi.ca/leadline/dec09leadline.pdf

Last edited by wardog; 04-02-10 at 12:49 AM.
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  #19  
Old 04-02-10, 01:54 PM
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Thats interesting wardog, thanks very much for posting.

Bryan
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  #20  
Old 08-02-10, 09:44 PM
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Thanks Bryan, & Wardog for the picture. Nice to see, I've seen many PO's but not many officers.
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  #21  
Old 19-02-10, 02:39 AM
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Ray I am not in Canada now & wont be till mid March, fortunately I am missing the usual canuk winter!!! I dont want to tell you where I am as you will be GREEN with envy!!

There are several photos of RCN(W) officers & ratings in the Crowsnest magazine, but do agree with you, photos of them are somewhat scarce, but you have to remember they were a very small force in the RCN, no more that a couple thousand of them in mid 50's, the period which was the heydey of the old RCN,

Try to stay warm tho................

Bryan
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