Jean MacLean’s tie was knotted just so against a crisp white shirt. Her navy-blue jacket was adorned with a gold anchor on each lapel, two medals hung on the left breast from her time in the navy and below them, a brand-new patch from the Kingston Legion. It reads “VETERAN” in capital letters and is about 76 years late in coming.
MacLean, now 96, served in the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCN) from 1942 to 1945.
Despite her years of service, when she asked to join the legion after the war, she was told “no women allowed”.
MacLean, then Morley, grew up in a military family in Ontario. She joined up with the WRCNs at age 18 with her older sister Gladys. Together they took the train to Galt, now Cambridge, Ont., for the first round of training at HMCS Conestoga.
“We thought it was going to be a great adventure,” said MacLean.
Gladys became a wardroom clerk in HMCS Peregrine in Halifax. MacLean landed on the job of cook at HMCS Stadacona, also in Halifax where she worked to feed around 800 other WRCNs on the base.
MacLean and her sister are just two of the many women who served in Canada’s war efforts.
Nursing sisters had been part of the forces since the Boer War, and during the Second World War women’s divisions were formed to staff other roles in the military.
In 1941, the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division (WDs) and the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWACs) were formed.
Then, WRCNs, nicknamed Wrens, were brought to Canada in 1942.
The Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNs)
- Established July 31, 1942
- Disbanded Aug. 31, 1946
- 6,783 Canadian women served as WRCNs
- Nickname was Wrens
- Wrens served in 39 trades including administrative work, signalling, coding and wireless telegraphy
While MacLean was serving at HMCS Stadacona, she met Harvey MacLean from Meadowbank, P.E.I.
“His ship was in for refit,” she said.
They married in the navy dockyard chapel. She wasn’t allowed a bouquet, not while in uniform, but she managed a corsage.
After the war they returned to his home in P.E.I. where country living was quite a change from city life.
Not only was she adjusting to a new life as a wife and a civilian, she wasn’t allowed to join the legion and socialize with the other veterans.
“My husband was already a legion member and he said that I couldn’t join but he didn’t tell me at the time why,” said MacLean.
She said it was a let-down to be excluded.
“We thought we were pretty spiffy-looking and as important as they were. We were doing some of their jobs, in fact,” said MacLean.
David Yeo, a neighbour, navy veteran and legion member, has known the MacLeans his whole life. He just recently learned about MacLean’s wish to belong to the organization as a veteran.
These days anyone can join, but that wasn’t the case in the '40s.
“Husbands didn’t want their wives joining (the legion) either, even if they were qualified,” said Yeo. Women like MacLean were directed to the women's auxiliary instead.
“Go on and wash the dishes, clean, do suppers,” said Yeo. “It’s a gross slap in the face to be told you’re under-appreciated.”
Women weren’t exactly welcomed into the Canadian military in the Second World War. Even though England began signing up women in 1938, Canada held out. Eventually, that changed, but not without resistance.
“Those older men in the navy were not a bit pleased with having Wrens,” MacLean said.
Yeo said the women deserved more recognition, even at the time.
“For every Wren, there was one more sailor that could go to sea. So, they should have been much more appreciated,” said Yeo.
So, when Yeo learned MacLean had always wanted to be a true legion member, he knew it was time to “make it right”.
On Feb. 25. Yeo presented MacLean with a lifetime membership to the Kingston Legion Branch No. 30.
“It should have happened 76 years ago,” said Yeo. “It just never got dealt with. We wanted to make a difference for Jean, and maybe a little awareness for others who are still with us who should also be acknowledged.”
Alison Jenkins is a local journalism initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government.
