When the largest-ever combined airborne and amphibious military operation took place on the coast of Normandy 80 years ago, men were not solely to commend for its meticulous preparation. The success of D-Day can also be attributed to a unique branch of the British Royal Navy comprised of women known as the “Wrens”.
At its peak in 1944, the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS, or the “Wrens”) branch of the British Royal Navy counted at least 74,000 members. These women occupied 200 different positions as switchboard operators, signallers, coders, writers, electricians, drivers and mechanics. During World War II, 303 of them lost their lives.
