THIS WEEK IN 1970: The first Wrens to go Dutch for a year

Two female pioneers were set to become the first Wrens to join another navy on exchange.Â
Wrens Margaret Smith (left) and Kerrie Wearne, who are to become the first Wrens to join another navy on exchange.Wrens Margaret Smith (left) and Kerrie Wearne, who are to become the first Wrens to join another navy on exchange.
Wrens Margaret Smith (left) and Kerrie Wearne, who are to become the first Wrens to join another navy on exchange.

Margaret Smith and Kerrie Wearne, both radar plotters, were to leave HMS Dryad, Southwick, at the end of August for the Royal Netherlands Navy base at Den Helder. 

They continued to work as radar plotters with other Dutch Wrens for a year. But they have a big responsibility , for their experience will be used to judge whether the scheme should be repeated. 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Margaret and Kerrie, both 20, swapped their modern accomm odation at Dryad for the less luxurious quarters of an old warship. But the girls had other advantages to look forward to.

'˜Like being allowed out all night,' joked Margaret, '˜and only being 90 minutes away from Amsterdam.'

Related topics: