Navy Women (WRANS-RAN) QLD

HISTORY OF NAVY WOMEN (WRANS-RAN) QLD SUB-SECTION

Prior to 1954 there was only a Queensland Section to cover all of Queensland and this was quite inadequate.

In 1954, some of the Queensland Section members formed the Sandgate Sub-Section and the remaining members changed the Queensland Section name into the 'Brisbane' Sub-Section.

A State Council was formed with officers elected from members of the two Sub-Sections and the first State Conference was held in 1955 at the Queensland Naval Depot, then located in Alice Street, hosted by Brisbane Sub-Section.

On Wednesday, 16 July 1962, 27 ladies met in the YMCA Building, Edward Street Brisbane with a view to forming an Association of former members of the WRANS. A committee was formed with Mrs Muriel Bath as President of what would become the Ex-WRANS Association and the initial task was to arrange a November 1962 reunion of WRANS in Brisbane.

The badge of the Association was the original WRANS Badge.

The Ex-WRANS Association was disbanded on the 10 February 1964 when it became the WRANS Sub-Section of the Naval Association of Australia, Queensland Section.

Some ladies who had previously been members of the Brisbane Sub-Section but not of the Ex-WRANS Association, transferred across to the WRANS Sub-Section.

The badge of the Sub-Section was changed to the Navy Officer's cap badge with 'WRANS' on the ribbon.

The WRANS Sub-Section initially met at the Y.M.C.A Building, Edward Street, Brisbane, they then transferred to Newmarket Hall where they continued to meet for more than 50 years.

Their uniform was the blue jacket over the white shirt and white skirt/trousers for formal wear. They also had a matching blue t-shirt for non-formal wear.

On the 21 November 2015, in an effort to be more inclusive and to encourage membership of the RAN women who were not members of the WRANS, the organisation changed its name from WRANS Qld to NAVY WOMEN (WRANS-RAN) QLD Sub-Section. They received their renewed Charter from the Naval Association of Australia to reflect the name change.

The badge of the organisation now reflects its connection to the Naval Association of Australia.

The uniform changed to black jacket with pocket badge over white tops with white skirts/trousers/pants for formal wear. Two shirts, white and black, are also available. The tally band on our white hats reflects our new name.

The Sub-Section moved its meeting place in 2018 to the Clayfield-Toombul RSL hall.

However, in 2020 and with the space limitations of COVID-19, the meeting place was changed to the Geebung RSL Club – second Sunday of each month, (third Sunday in May due to Mother's Day and no meeting in January).

Join Us! Become a member of the Navy Women (WRANS-RAN) Qld Sub-Section HERE!