RCN Officer’s Cap badges

[RCN]

Originally Posted by RCN

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

Bryan