Chief WREN C.E.Gilbert

Note the branch badge and the medals

Written by Godfrey Dykes

© RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

  HMS SCOTIA was a naval establishment at Ayr Scotland from 1942 to 1946 in a former Butlins holiday camp. It had a Signal School and trained many thousands of communicators for the Fleet. In 1946 it was given back to Butlins and Scotia relocated south to Warrington, Lancashire where it occupied two camps, side by side, known as North and South Camps [rather like Leydene !]. North Camp trained all National Service communicators in communications except for wireless telegraphy which was to be taught in South Camp commencing in 1947. However, that didn't happen and all National Service Telegraphists were sent to RNSS Fort Southwick or RNSS Cookham Camp. WRNS Teleprinter and WRNS Telephone Switchboard were trained in North Camp. HMS Scotia closed down on the 20th December 1947 when all aspects of communication training for all comers was transferred to RNSS' Fort Southwick and Cookham Camp. It trained a total of 21774 communicators in its five years of operating.

  Note the reference to telephone switchboard operators above. What wonerful stories this woman could have told about WW2 and the protagonists of that period. Her official title was Chief Wren Switchboard Operator in the photo above. Below a couple more photographs:-

Chief Wren Gilbert is receiving her Long Service and Good Conduct Medal from the Commanding Officer of RNAS EGLINGTON, Captain T.W.B. Shaw DSC R.N., in 1955

And here she is again, as the only female member of staff of the Devonport Signal School in 1958