Jean Davies

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Dame Jean Davies Lancaster
Birth nameJean Davies
Born(1909-08-11)11 August 1909
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Spouse(s)
Roy Cavander Lancaster
​
​
(m. 1967⁠–⁠1981)​
(his death)

ADC (11 August 1909 – 29 August 1996) was a senior British naval officer who served as Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service
(WRNS) from 1961 to 1964.

Early life

Jean Davies was born on 11 August 1909 to Elizabeth (Hutton) and Richard Cameron Davies.[1] She was educated at Merchant Taylors' Girls' School, an all-girls selective private school in Great Crosby, Lancashire (now Merseyside).[1][2] After leaving school, Davies worked as a secretary to the headmaster of Merchant Taylors' Boys' School in Crosby.[2][3]

Naval career

First Officer Jean Davies (4th from left) meeting Queen Elizabeth in 1945

Second World War

In December 1939, with the

Second World War having broken out, Davies joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS).[1][2] In May 1940, she was granted the rank of third officer (equivalent to sub-lieutenant) with seniority from 6 December 1939.[4]

From 1940 to 1942, Davies was a member of the staff of

Flag Officer Liverpool; her tasked included encoding and decoding messages concerning the Royal Navy's fight against the German U-boats.[2] In February 1941, she was promoted to second officer (equivalent to lieutenant) with seniority from 2 December 1940.[5]

In 1942, Davies was selected for signals officer training;

Quebec Conference. She worked in the cypher room aboard the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary during the voyage to Canada. After the conference, she was posted to Washington D.C., where she undertook signal work for the British Embassy; the results of the conference had overloaded the permanent staff there.[2]

She returned to the United Kingdom with the rest of the British delegation aboard HMS Renown; unusually for a woman, she was "actually established as a member of the ship's company" during the voyage.[2]

Davies was made an

Josef Stalin.[2][8]

Davies then returned to the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches, where she worked until the end of the war.

1944 King's Birthday Honours.[10]

Later career

After the end of the Second World War, Davies remained in the military but transferred to the Administrative Branch.

Officer of the Order of the British Empire,[1] promoted to superintendent (equivalent to captain) and appointed commanding officer of the WRNS personnel serving in the Fleet Air Arm.[2]

In October 1960, Davies was announced as the next Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service, in succession to Dame Elizabeth Hoyer-Millar.[11]

On 17 May 1961, she took up the appointment on 17 May 1961, was promoted to commandant (equivalent to

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1963 Birthday Honours,[14] and retired from the military in 1964.[1][2]

Later life

Davies married Roy Cavander Lancaster, a military officer formerly with the East Kent Regiment, at the Chapel of

Nursing Home in Blundellsands, Merseyside. She died on 29 August 1996, aged 87.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "LANCASTER, Dame Jean". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. April 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2016.(subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Dame Jean Lancaster". The Times. No. 65680. 9 September 1996. p. 23.
  3. ^ "The OBA and the School". The Merchant Taylors' Schools. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  4. ^ "No. 34862". The London Gazette. 31 May 1940. pp. 3278–82.
  5. ^ "No. 35068". The London Gazette. 7 February 1941. p. 759.
  6. ISBN 978-0850522716
    .
  7. ^ "No. 36326". The London Gazette. 11 January 1944. p. 229.
  8. ^ "THE TEHRAN CONFERENCE, 28 NOVEMBER – 1 DECEMBER 1943". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  9. ^ "No. 36556". The London Gazette. 9 June 1944. p. 2763.
  10. ^ "No. 36544". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1944. pp. 2572–73.
  11. ^ "NEW DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S ROYAL NAVAL SERVICE ANNOUNCED. OCTOBER 1960, SUPERINTENDENT JEAN DAVIS, OBE, WRNS, WHO SUCCEEDS COMMANDANT DAME ELIZABETH HOYER-MILLAR, DBE, HAN ADC, WRNS, AS DIRECTOR OF THE WOMEN'S ROYAL NAVAL SERVICE IN MAY 1961". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  12. ^ "No. 42358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 May 1961. p. 3762.
  13. ^ "NEW DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S NAVAL SERVICE. MAY 1961, HMS DAUNTLESS, WRNS TRAINING ESTABLISHMENT, BURGHFIELD, NEAR READING. SUPERINTENDENT JEAN DAVIES, OBE, WRNS, WHO IS TO SUCCEED COMMANDANT DAME ELIZABETH HOYER-MILLAR, DBE, WRNS, AS DIRECTOR OF THE WOMEN'S ROYAL NAVAL SERVICE ON 17 MAY 1961". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  14. ^ "No. 43010". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1963. p. 4797.
  15. ^ "Marriages". The Times. No. 56901. 29 March 1967. p. 12.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service
1961–1964 		Succeeded by
Margaret Drummond
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jean_Davies&oldid=1220922522"