WESTERN APPROACHES.

DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR: 1918, MISS F. E. WARTON. PRINCIPAL: 1919, MISS J. E. BELL.

The W.R.N.S. was inaugurated in Liverpool on March 19, 1918, and the appearance of the first two "Wren" officers in uniform caused great excitement and disturbance amongst the population of that city for some time. The senior naval officer of the port, Rear-Admiral Stileman, received us most cordially, and did everything in his power to help and encourage us.

There were several girls already working in the naval offices, and the first work was to absorb these. There was, quite naturally, some reluctance at first amongst these to put themselves under discipline and authority, and the idea of wearing uniform was distasteful to many. These objections were gradually overcome, and as new "Wrens" were enrolled and started their work, the others fell into line, attended the drills, and soon formed a very smart squad.

The type of girl was distinctly good, and many more came forward to volunteer than were actually required. The work in Liverpool was almost exclusively clerical, with a few telephone operators and motor drivers.

The "Wrens" started at Holyhead base early in April, and two officers for de-coding were demanded. These proved so successful that very shortly others were sent down, and in a very little while six W.R.N.S. officers were entirely responsible for all the coding at the base.

In the month of May women started work at the R.N.A. Station, Walney Island. These were immobiles, but they were on the station from 7.30 a.m., and a large hut was given over to their use for meals and recreation.

 A few clerks were also utilised at Manchester and Fleetwood. Plans for huts for mobile women for the R.N.A.S. Llangefni, Anglesey, were under way for some months; these were finally completed in October, and cooks and stewards arrived to take charge of the Officers' Mess, and to help generally in the work of the station. Llangefni was an active service station, with four airships, or "blimps," for hunting submarines.

Here again the men did everything they could to make things easy for the women, who in their turn put a cheery face on many difficulties, and helped to brighten the atmosphere of the station considerably.

The work at Liverpool up to Armistice Day was very heavy; the hours were very long, and as most of the immobile women had long distances to travel from home to office, there was not much time for the lighter side of life in the way of amusements. The girls showed the true naval spirit, and worked late night after night with always a bright face and a smile.

 Before the departure of the Senior Naval Officer, at the end of March, he held an inspection of all the W.R.N.S. ratings on board H.M. S. Eaglet - the ship on which most of the ratings are borne - and personally thanked them for the great service they had rendered the Navy - a mark of appreciation greatly valued by all.

The sub-stations of this Division have now been demobilised or transferred to the W.R.A.F., but the majority of the girls at Liverpool will be required for some months yet, and they are all quite prepared to "carry on" in the right spirit as long as their services are required.

F. E. WARTON.