"Incredible bravery and extraordinary services" of the Wrens is set to be celebrated at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

The unsung heroes of two world wars, formed in 1917 during the first world war, their services will be honoured as part of a new monument to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Coastal Forces set to be unveiled in the Portsmouth Historic Quarter in May 2027, the first-ever to be placed there of a Wren.

The monument, by celebrated female sculptor Amy Goodman, will portray a Wren who will be signalling to a nearby Motor Gunboat with two figures on the bow, one of whom is the most highly decorated Royal Navy Volunteer Reservist, Lieutenant Commander Robert Hichens. It will be placed just inside Victory Gate.

Amy is modelling the Wren, who will represent all Wrens, on Eve Branson who established the Eve Branson Foundation, based in Morocco, which supports the lives of women and young girls in the Atlas Mountains.

Amy Goodman, whose notable works of females include statues of Queen Elizabeth II and a bronze bust of Florence Nightingale, said: “In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, I will start the process of creating the first ever statue of a Wren, based on a hugely inspiring woman and former Wren, Eve Branson.

“It is incredible to think we are celebrating over a century of women in the Coastal Forces, and their extraordinary journey since WWI to the current day where we have several female admirals and many women in other senior command roles.”

Eve was an active member of the Coastal Forces veterans’ community and in later life was involved in the restoration of MTB 71, now in the Night Hunters museum in Gosport, included in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard ticket.

Eve’s daughter Vanessa says “Mum continued the war-time spirit throughout her long life. Making light of deprivation or discomfort and turning any mishap into an awfully big adventure. We were blessed having her in our lives...she was just such fun.”

In the first world war there were a limited number of Wrens (around 7, 000) in roles such as clerks and typists, drivers, cooks, basic technical assistants. But during the second world war there were more than 70,000 Wrens who became essential to naval operations, carrying out highly skilled tasks such as servicing torpedoes and acting as shore-based signallers.

Today women are fully integrated into the Royal Navy and we have four female admirals - with the senior serving woman being Admiral Jude Terry - and many women serving in senior command positions, including Captain Claire Thompson OBE RN as captain of the aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Admiral Terry said: “As the senior serving woman in the Royal Navy, I am forever grateful for the courage and commitment shown by our predecessors during the world wars and every day since. Women have always been involved in the Coastal Forces community and the inclusion of a member of the WRNS, based on the truly inspirational signaller Eve Branson, in the Coastal Forces Monument demonstrates this crucial role.

“I have seen our Services change remarkably in my 28-year career, and women continue to play a critical role in delivering security and safety of the UK and its people. Giving to the Service of our country through a career in the Armed Forces provides huge gains - personally and professionally”.

Janet Crabtree, Chairman of the Association of Wrens said: “The Wren in the Coastal Forces and RNVR monument will help educate new generations about the important contribution of members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service to the war effort, both WWI and WWII, and how pivotal that era was to the emancipation and equality of women, culminating in Wrens serving at sea from October 1990.”

Her comments are particularly relevant to Lt Kate Winter RN, whose Grandfather Bob Winter RNVR was captain of a Coastal Forces Motor Launch in the second world war laying mines along the French coast. He was Mentioned in Dispatches for his bravery and dedication.

Kate now serves in HMS Dauntless which is affiliated to the Association of Wrens, given their link to the previous HMS Dauntless, the WRNS’ new-entry training establishment from 1945-1981. Kate says “I didn’t know my grandfather but I think he would have been amazed and incredibly proud if he had known I would become a RN engineer, posted to an Air-Defence Destroyer during an Indo-Pacific deployment and maintaining its operational capabilities over 40,000 nautical miles. I’m grateful to all the women who blazed a trail for my generation and made it possible for us to serve in the RN the way we do today’.

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The Coastal Forces Heritage Trust (CFHT) and Portsmouth Historic Quarter joined forces to deliver the project, with early donations already secured for it. But now, CFHT is calling on supporters, veterans, and the wider public to help bring the vision to life by donating to the Monument Appeal.

“This monument is long overdue,” said Rear Admiral Rex Cox, Chair of CFHT. “Coastal Forces, the RNVR, and the WRNS made extraordinary contributions in both world wars. The design reflects their courage and ingenuity - and this campaign is our opportunity to give them the recognition they deserve.”

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About Eve Branson

• The WRNS signaller in our the represents all Wrens, but is modelled on one exceptional one – Eve Branson, who served as a signaller during WW2 from 1943-44.
• Eve had a remarkable life - dancer, glider, WW2 signaller with Coastal Forces, flight attendant on the hazardous British South American Airways, children’s author, entrepreneur and philanthropist - perhaps her most significant legacy is the Eve Branson Foundation, which supports the lives of women and young girls in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
• She was also the much-loved mother of Richard, Vanessa and Lindy, and grandmother to 11, instilling all of them with strong values and inspiring with her energy, enthusiasm, fearlessness and entrepreneurial spirit.
• While only 18 Eve disguised herself as a boy to work as an ‘instructor under instruction’ at the glider training centre in Heston Middlesex, flying solo there before joining the WRNS as a signaller (also known as ‘bunting tossers’) a year later. The signallers used handheld Aldis lamps, 10-inch lamps or semaphore with flags to communicate in Morse code with Coastal Forces craft.
• After training at Warrington in Lancashire and the Black Isle in Scotland, she was sent to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight for a year she described as ‘one of the best in my life’ despite much sorrow too as the war claimed lives of those she knew.
• Eve was an active member of the Coastal Forces veterans community and in later life was involved in the restoration of MTB 71, now in the Night Hunters museum in Gosport, part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy. In her memoir she wrote 'I will forever be devoted to MTB 71'.
• The WRNS made an important and unsung contribution to Coastal Forces in both World Wars – maintaining, transporting and loading torpedoes onto Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs) and acting as signallers, telegraphists, chefs and clerks. The signallers had among the most poignant jobs – counting in the Coastal Forces MTBs and MGBs at night as they came back from operations.
• Eve died in 2021

For more about the project or to donate visit www.coastal-forces.org.uk