Women at sea during WWII

[Hugh]

I thought I should try and post more about my interest in the Merchant Navy during WWII. What better than to record a little about the women of the Merchant Navy. The remarkable story of Victoria Drummond, a lady who had to overcome predjudice from working in a male environment, is told below:

The Merchant Navy did not necessarily require women during the Second World War, but hundreds of women were determined to play a role; some were employed as stewardesses, others as hairdressers, shop assistants, cooks and ship’s nurses, and one as an engineer. The stewardess’ role was the only one that could be diverse, i.e. cleaning cabins, serving food in the saloon, organising and directing personnel to their boat stations, cleaning bathrooms and ladies’ toilets were just some of the tasks expected of them. Most, if not all, had seen lengthy pre-war seagoing careers, many staying loyal to their respective shipping company’s. Once on board, they were as likely to be attacked as their male colleagues

Victoria Drummond became the first woman engineer in the Merchant Navy, after passing her exams with the Board of Trade in the first year of the war. Her first posting was that of Second Engineer in the Panamanian tramper ss BONITA. She was awarded the MBE by King George VI, on 29 July 1941, at Buckingham Palace for her great bravery on board the BONITA, when the ship was attacked by a Focke-Wulf Condor on 25 August 1940. She was also awarded the Lloyds war medal for bravery at sea.

Read more about this remarkable woman below:

Victoria Drummond (1894 – 1978)

The first woman member of the Institute of Marine Engineers

Victoria Alexandrina Drummond was born in 1894, in privileged circumstances and with Royal connections. She was christened with the name of her Godmother, Queen Victoria, and spent her childhood living in Megginch Castle, Perthshire, and on the Estate of her Grandfather Baron Amherst in Norfolk.

Victoria Drummond showed an early aptitude for mechanics, but it wasn’t until the outbreak of the First World War that she got her first opportunity. In 1916 she started an Apprenticeship in Scotland, working first at the Northern Garage in Perth and then the Caledon Ship Works in Dundee.
In 1922 she sailed for the first time as Tenth Engineer aboard the SS ‘Anchises’ of the Blue Funnel Line. She sailed with the company for four voyages to Australia and one to China before leaving to work toward her second engineer’s qualification, which she gained on her third attempt. Despite having gained this qualification Drummond sailed as fifth engineer for the British India Company in 1927 for one year.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s work was scarce and Drummond used this time to try and gain a British chief engineer’s certificate. Despite taking the exam on 37 occasions she failed each time, convinced at last that this was because of her sex. She was however successful in gaining a Panamanian chief engineer’s certificate.

The social upheaval of the Second World War meant that a lot of women found work in industries that may never have been open to them otherwise. In March 1940 Victoria Drummond worked as second engineer aboard a Dutch vessel, which sailed the Mediterranean with cargo and was also involved in the rescue of the British Expeditionary Force in Marseille. Later that same year she joined the SS Bonita at Southampton. It was whilst sailing the Atlantic, 400 miles from land, that enemy bombers attacked the vessel. Drummond received an MBE for devotion to duty and ‘Lloyd’s war medal for bravery at sea’ after taking charge of the engine room alone, keeping the engine running despite damage to a vital pipe during the enemy bombardment. When the ship successfully came alongside in Virginia she was given a hero’s welcome.

This wasn’t the end of active service for Victoria Drummond and throughout the rest of her wartime career she sailed on various vessels around the world. In 1941 the vessel she was serving on was attacked again, the second mate and two other men were killed. She sailed amongst many convoys throughout the war across the Atlantic and to Russia and took part in the Invasion of Europe.

After the war finished in 1945 Drummond enjoyed a varied career. She superintended some Shipbuilding in Scotland, worked on short trips in the Mediterranean on cargo ships and tankers. From 1952 – 1957 she sailed as second engineer on various vessels, travelling around the world in the process. Eventually from 1959 until her retirement in 1962, she sailed as chief engineer.

Victoria Drummond died in 1978 having become the first female member of the Institute of Marine Engineers and having opened doors for the women that followed after her. She was buried at the place of her birth, Megginch Castle.

Her citation from the London Gazette on 9 July 1941 reads:

Miss Victoria Alexandrina Drummond, Second Engineer.
The ship was attacked for thirty-five minutes by a bomber, when 400 miles from
land, but by skilful handling many hits were avoided.
When the alarm was sounded, Miss Drummond at once went below and took charge. The first salvo flung her against the levers and nearly stunned her. When everything
had been done to increase the ship's speed she ordered the engine-room and stoke-hold staff out. After one attack the main injection pipe just above her head started a joint and scalding steam rushed out.
She nursed this vital pipe through the explosion of each salvo, easing down when the noise of the aircraft told her that bombs were about to fall, and afterwards increasing steam.
Her conduct was an inspiration to the ship's company, and her devotion to duty prevented more serious damage to the vessel.

Sources:
Beyond the Call of Duty by Brian James Crabb
The Londong Gazette
http://www.plimsoll.org/Galleries/Biographies/victoriadrummond/default.asp

[Adrian Roberts]

At the risk of going off on a tangent, during the days of sail, women frequently sailed, even on warships. Senior Warrant Officers were sometimes allowed to bring their wives. And there were at least ten women on board Victory at Trafalgar, as laundrywomen, seamstresses, etc. They certainly weren't there as prostitutes, though in other situations this wasn't unknown.

[Antipodean Andy]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Victoria Drummond (1894 – 1978)

Most impressive, thanks Hugh. New for me so thanks for taking the time to post about her. Sounds like machinery was second nature to her.

[Kyt]

Thank you Hugh. Another area that has been overlooked, and Crabb's book looks very interestiing.

[Hugh]

The book "Beyond the Call of Duty" covers the loss of British Commonwealth mercantile and service women at sea during the Second World War and is certainly well researched and covers new ground.

Unfortunately not a lot is written about some of the women who served as their records are no longer available and as such detail on them is scarce. The book is a good reference in its own right though.

Regards

[Antipodean Andy]

Always the way. The unsung heroes and their deeds just disappear. Good thing this forum trawls them up! :-D