Media Release & Photo Opportunity

^{8th January 2003}

Contact: George Malcolmson, Business Services Manager 023 9251 0354 ext 230

From Domestic to Destroyer

The Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport is set to open a new photographic exhibition on January 31^st 2003. Designed by Keeper of Photographs and former Wren, Debbie Corner, the exhibition titled “Free a Man for Sea - from Domestic to Destroyer. WRNS, rationing and role –reversal”, charts the contribution of the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) from World War I to the women of the Royal Navy of the present day.

Debbie Corner brings her own insight of life in the Wrens to this unique photographic exhibition.

The opening day of the exhibition will also host the launch of a new book “WRNS in Camera” compiled by Lesley Thomas and the late Dr Chris Howard Bailey of the Royal Naval Museum. The book draws on the Lee Miller collection held in the naval museum. Lee Miller was the staff photographer for Vogue magazine and produced a photographic book showing the many activities of the Wrens during World War II.

The exhibition will be opened by Audrey Conningham a World War II WREN officer who not only survived the sinking of the submarine depot ship HMS Medway, by U boat, she also saved the life of a submariner in the process, for which she was awarded a mention in despatches.

The exhibition will run for six months.