Wren’s Romance 

Romance in World War Two could be a rushed and snatched-at business.  “love today for you may be dead tomorrow” was a powerful force which drove the sense of haste so characteristic of the period. Wars always bring some loosening of moral standards and the First World War was no exception.  In the long shadow of the Victorian era there is a tendency to see that age as one of moral rectitude and while superficial attitudes remained strictly moralistic, in practise there was a great deal of lively sexual activity went on.

Of all the uniformed services, the Wrens were perhaps least affected by it but despite that were by no means immune.  In both World Wars The leaders of the WRNS were strongly motivated moralists who imbued their whole service with their attitudes.  In the brief period between 1917 and 919 their leader, Dame Katherine Furse had laid down a strict code of behaviour and her girls had been deeply influenced by it.  The Navy christened them the ‘prigs and prudes’.   The Wrens were remarkably well behaved on the whole, somewhat to the disappointment of the men of the Royal Navy.

In World War Two the pattern repeated itself under Dame Very Laughton Matthews who had been trained by Furse in the first World War.  Again, she demanded a high standard of moral behaviour which provided a suit of armour for them.  But amour, that was a different matter.  There was something about that smart navy blue uniform, and especially the black stockings, which inspired romantic feelings.  The Wrens were there to perform a multitude of useful tasks and very well they did them, but always there was a sense of mutual attraction in the air as well.  A good-looking Wren in much the same uniform as naval officers was the counterpart of those seamen, rolling in from sea to set hearts a-flutter.  Although the motto of ‘Never at Sea’ was far from accurate in the second war, nevertheless most Wrens worked in shore establishments close enough to where the ships tied up for the link to be a real and immediate one.   But the mores of the time were much more conservative:  It was still expected practise that gentlemen didn’t – expect their dates to end up in bed with them, that is.  Women’s lesser position in society had as payment a more respecting and protective attitude among men who, no matter how much they might have liked a physical indulgence nevertheless did not expect their womenfolk to do it.  This allowed a more romantic and gentle approach to rule in couple relationships and it was still considered the norm that brides should be virgins on their wedding day.

Romance for Wrens also had a complex class aspect to it. Male officers were not allowed to consort with ratings, and this applied as much to Wren ratings as it did to the lower deck.  Yet the of all the women’s services, the Wrens were known as a middle class service, which meant that socially they were very much on a level with the naval officers.  The answer was simple: off duty, wrens changed to civilian clothes and a blind eye was turned to their relationships ashore with still-in-uniform naval officers.  While loving relationships could and did flourish with sailors as well, they were always in a minority and the wrens were known as the naval officers’ dating service.  Weddings were frequent and many a wren laid down the beginnings of lifetime relationships initially forged in the heat of war.