Jacket, Service Dress: WRNS (Second Officer)

This is part of the uniform worn by Barbara Eileen Noverraz. Born in Bristol in 1919, Noverraz worked as a clerk in the Eagle Star Insurance Company before volunteering to serve in the WRNS in 1939. Initially she served as a Wren in the pay office but by 1942 attended the Naval College, Greenwich, officer training. Later the same year she was transferred as a cipher officer to Barry Docks. By the time of the Invasion she was based at Southwick House, Hampshire, processing ciphers connected with the D-Day landings. In September 1944 she went to France, landing in Normandy where some of the beaches were still mined. She remembered, 'The French threw flowers and opened windows. We sat on the back of a jeep, waving. We were delighted. We could see what sort of conditions they were in. They saw we were women and did not expect that. They seemed surprised'. Spending some time at Arromanches she went on to Paris and Brussels, and later moved around France and Germany setting up signals stations, serving in Minden, Bremen and Hamburg. During her war service she had worked closely to Admiral Ramsey and met General Montgomery, both, she noticed, two personalities with opposite qualities. Post-war she was invited to attend the Belsen trial as an observer. Whilst at Barry Docks she met Lieutenant Stanley Buckley, and following a long courtship and engagement they married in 1950 (see UNI 12751-12753).

This is part of the uniform worn by Barbara Eileen Noverraz. Born in Bristol in 1919, Noverraz worked as a clerk in the Eagle Star Insurance Company before volunteering to serve in the WRNS in 1939. Initially she served as a Wren in the pay office but by 1942 attended the Naval College, Greenwich, officer training. Later the same year she was transferred as a cipher officer to Barry Docks. By the time of the Invasion she was based at Southwick House, Hampshire, processing ciphers connected with the D-Day landings. In September 1944 she went to France, landing in Normandy where some of the beaches were still mined. She remembered, 'The French threw flowers and opened windows. We sat on the back of a jeep, waving. We were delighted. We could see what sort of conditions they were in. They saw we were women and did not expect that. They seemed surprised'. Spending some time at Arromanches she went on to Paris and Brussels, and later moved around France and Germany setting up signals stations, serving in Minden, Bremen and Hamburg. During her war service she had worked closely to Admiral Ramsey and met General Montgomery, both, she noticed, two personalities with opposite qualities. Post-war she was invited to attend the Belsen trial as an observer. Whilst at Barry Docks she met Lieutenant Stanley Buckley, and following a long courtship and engagement they married in 1950 (see UNI 12751-12753).

Jacket Double-breasted midnight blue jacket with two rows of four gilt crested naval officer's buttons. To the cuffs are sewn two lines of blue/grey (faded) rank lace, the upper line with a diamond shape to the centre of the cuff.

MARSH CLIFTON