The first women to officially join the Navy were the nurses in the First World War. They served aboard each of Canada’s five hospital ships, which provided injured soldiers with a place to recover, or repatriated them if their injuries were more severe.

It was not until 1942 that the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) was officially launched. 6,800 women enlisted; like their counterparts in the British navy, they were known as “Wrens”. At first they were only assigned to office work, but later they were given more technical positions.

Naval women rose in the ranks and worked in radio transmission, in encryption, or as radar operators. However, most of them were assistants or secretaries. They were finally allowed to hold combat positions on ships in 1986, and on submarines in 2001.