Irene Marion Roberts – Women’s Royal Naval Service

Leading Wren Irene Marion Roberts – Women’s Royal Naval Service

Early Life

Irene Marion Roberts was born in 1924 in Neath.

Military Service

During the Second World War, Irene served as a Leading Wren with the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS), attached to H.M.S. Excellent, the Royal Navy’s principal gunnery training establishment.

The Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) in the Second World War

The Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) played a vital and expanding role during the Second World War. Known as the Wrens, its members supported Royal Navy operations in more than 70 specialist roles, including communications, radar operation, intelligence tasks, clerical duties, driving, aircraft maintenance, and plotting for naval command centres.

By the height of the war, over 75,000 women were serving in the WRNS. A Leading Wren, like Irene Roberts, held supervisory responsibilities within her section and was valued for skill, reliability, and leadership.

H.M.S. Excellent

H.M.S. Excellent, based on Whale Island, Portsmouth, was the Royal Navy’s foremost gunnery school. Although nominally a ship, it was a shore establishment dedicated to training naval personnel in gunnery, anti-aircraft defence, radar, weapons maintenance, and fire-control systems.

During the Second World War, H.M.S. Excellent trained:

• naval gunners and gunnery officers
• anti-aircraft crews
• radar and fire-control operators
• range-takers and spotters
• WRNS personnel in operations and gunnery support

Serving at H.M.S. Excellent placed Irene at the heart of a vital wartime training centre, contributing directly to the operational readiness of the Royal Navy.

Death

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

According to British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, Irene died on 22^nd February 1947, aged 22, from pulmonary tuberculosis at her home, 17 Riverdale Road, West Cross.

Commemoration

Irene Marion Roberts
Oystermouth Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Irene is buried at Oystermouth Cemetery and is honoured on the Black Pill War Memorial, alongside Sister Dora Mary Morris.