Second World War
The Navy Ashore  - Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service

The Second World War saw close to 7,000 women in naval service. Founded in 1942, the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS), often called the "Wrens", performed a wide variety non-combatant roles ashore, both in Canada and abroad.

Combat Simulator Ship Model

A member of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service sets up a model of a merchant ship used in a combat simulator.

The model was used in the Canadian-developed "night escort teacher", a shore-based facility that trained the crews of convoy escorts in night-time combat. Model ships simulated the view from a ship's bridge, while other parts of the crew practiced duties like loading and firing guns and depth charges on training equipment. The "night escort teacher" at Halifax trained crews from some 370 ships between September 1942 and war's end, and both Britain and the United States adopted the trainer for their navies.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 20030212-010_3