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This article from the files of the Elgin Military Museum appeared in the Toronto Telegram during WW II. The images are from our files. We post this in honouring Women's History Month 2016. The last line echos the sentiments of a great many women who served during WW II and then had to cope with the limitations of a woman's role after the war. Leading WREN Donna Price (later Gordon) is seen 4th from the right in the banner above.
Leading WREN Donna Price from St. Thomas
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Exciting Job
TOP candidate for having the most exciting job in the WRENS is Leading Wren Donna Price. While other girls in Canadian uniforms uncomplainingly performed routine tasks like keeping records and cooking, the attractive Wren earned a rare assignment to sail on ships built in the Great Lakes area during gunnery trials.
She had been pounding a typewriter and doing strictly clerical records work for ten months at HMCS 'York' before being transferred to the Equipment and Trials section as writer for the gunnery officer.
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Behind the Gun
Accompanying a gunnery officer in the inspection party visiting Algerine minesweepers and coastal vessels, corvettes and Fairmile sub-chasers, she had a front place view while every gun was fired.
She recorded gun recoils, the numbers on guns and barrels and their position on each ship. She made notes regarding all the magazines, lockers and stores for permanent records kept in the armament supplies depot and usually conferred with ships' officers.
Never owning an issue pair of bell-bottom trousers, she provided herself with navy slacks worn with the rest of her Wren's uniform. "On colder days I borrowed a big duffle coat with hood or fleece-lined coat and flying boots for late November trips," she told The Telegram.
She recorded gun recoils, the numbers on guns and barrels and their position on each ship. She made notes regarding all the magazines, lockers and stores for permanent records kept in the armament supplies depot and usually conferred with ships' officers.
Never owning an issue pair of bell-bottom trousers, she provided herself with navy slacks worn with the rest of her Wren's uniform. "On colder days I borrowed a big duffle coat with hood or fleece-lined coat and flying boots for late November trips," she told The Telegram.
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HMS Jaseur was an Algerine Class mine sweeper built in Toronto by Redfern Construction Ltd. - Launched October 19, 1944 and Commissioned into the Royal Navy October 27, 1944
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Leading Wren Price is a bit proud of her "seafaring" constitution. Only one minesweeper for Britain, the "Jaseur", made her forget all about an appetite and the "jinx" ship had the same effect during two trials.
She knew anything could go wrong while equipment was tested for the first time - like a depth charge exploding before it left the ship - but she happily reported "nothing serious ever happened."
She knew anything could go wrong while equipment was tested for the first time - like a depth charge exploding before it left the ship - but she happily reported "nothing serious ever happened."
Prepared for Accidents
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The usual presence of a medical officer during trails on a ship normally crossing the ocean or going into action with only a qualified sick berth attendant on board, gave support to the possibilities of accidents.
Occasionally she visited two ships in a day, transferring from one to the other by means of a lowered whaler. She doesn't think she will ever forget the hectic trip out from Toronto harbour to a minesweeper on a light, tossing motor torpedo boat. It took the better part of an hour to transfer the inspection party to the large ship. Leading Wren Price lost her balance a few times on deck and finally had to leap at just the right moment onto the larger ship, whose rail was crashed during maneuvers. Prior to test trips, she made inspection tours of shipyards at Collingwood, Port Arthur, Midland and Orillia before the last rivets were put in place. So far as she knows, she has been the only Canadian Wren permitted to carry out such a job. The daughter of Mrs. Verna Price of St. Thomas, she says she is "going to hate going back to an office grind as a civilian." |
Far Right: Leading WREN Donna Price.
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