Member of HMS Protector's crew writing a letter to her Wren Grandmother to mark International Women's Day — In the letter, the sailor explains how there are women in every department of the ship, as well as HMS Protector being captained by a woman (Picture: HMS Protector Twitter).

Navy

International Women's Day: HMS Protector sailor pens letter to her veteran nan about life on board

A video detailing a crew member's letter to her veteran grandmother has been shared online by HMS Protector to celebrate International Women's Day.

The female member of the ship's team starts by telling her nan, who was a Royal Navy Wren, she is penning the letter from Antarctica.

She goes on to say she never thought she would "have an opportunity to serve at sea in Antarctica, an opportunity that was unheard of back in [her] days with the Wrens".

"The thought of women at sea would send shivers up people's spines in those days and it just wasn't allowed, but how times have changed."

We are the women in @hmsprotector and we made this film for #IWD2023 with the talented videographer @CameronEden760 We are proud of what we do and wanted to tell our story in the form of a letter from one of our team to her Gran, who was in the WRNS. @navy_women @OfWrens pic.twitter.com/2jyY6Y4HdS
— HMS Protector (@hmsprotector) March 7, 2023

She goes on to say how there are women in every department of the ship – "engineering, catering, logistics, communications, medical, administration, warfare, executive, survey, even the captain is a woman".

"Did you ever think that would happen?" she asks.

"We are paid the same as the men and do the same jobs and I couldn't be more proud to be part of such a great group of women.

"And I know you would be proud of us too."

Watch: Reflecting on the service of women during WW2 for International Women's Day.