#wrns

[dieselfutures]

Women's Royal Naval Service Officer and Ratings: Boat Cleaning at the Coastal Motor Boat Base, Haslar Creek, Portsmouth - Arthur David McCormick

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Wrens played a major part in the planning and organisation of naval operations, serving at Bletchley Park and its out-stations, operating machines used in code-breaking.

"Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History" - Philippa Gregory

[princessanneftw]

Princess Anne visiting a Womens Royal Naval Service (WRNS) passing out parade at HMS Royal Arthur in Corsham, Wiltshire on 24 February 1986

[instacrew]

[scrapironflotilla]

An officer of the Women’s Royal Naval Service giving military recruits gas mask instruction, 1918.

[paletasdehielo]

[historicalfirearms]

WRNS at the Range with the Rifle, RF Short. Mk.II

The photo above is an interesting one for a number of reasons not only does it show members of the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS)  at a rifle range in 1940, but even more interesting are the rifles they’re using. They are receiving instruction from a Sergeant of the Royal Marines and are using .22 calibre training rifles - Rifle, RF Short. Mk.II. . 

The Rifle, RF Short. Mk.II was a conversion of ‘Long’ Lee-Metford or Lee-Enfield rifles for use as .22 rimfire training rifles, the Mk.I conversions began in 1907, just as the SMLE entered service. The rifles were intended to emulate the SMLE’s handling characteristics.

A Rifle, RF Short. Mk.II (source)

The Mk.II was approved for service in 1912 and had their barrels shortened and sleeved, sights re-graduated and a new front sight post. The conversions were largely single shot rifles, although a magazine adaptations were developed and sold commercially. The rifles were used by the Royal Navy for rifle training on short and indoor ranges. The photographs above shows one of these ranges with the WRNS learning the basics. 

Sources:

Image Sources: 1 2 (H/T Danny Michael)

The RF Short Rifle Mk.I and Mk.II, The Rifleman, (source)

[fishstickmonkey]

A Women's Royal Naval Service radio mechanic walks from a Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, September 1943.

Zimmerman, E A (Lt)

IWM