Margaret Drummond (WRNS officer)

Dame
Margaret Drummond
DBE
Birth name Edith Margaret Drummond
Born (1917-09-04)4 September 1917
Died 21 April 1987(1987-04-21) (aged 69)
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1941–1967
Rank Commandant
Commands held Women's Royal Naval Service
Battles/wars Second World War
Cold War
Awards
  • OBE (1960)
  • DBE (1965)

Commandant Dame Edith Margaret Drummond, DBE (4 September 1917 – 21 April 1987) was a senior British Royal Navy officer. From 1964 to 1967, she served as Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS).[1]

Early life and education

Drummond was born on 4 September 1917 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland to Professor Robert James Drummond and Marion Drummond (née Street).[1][2] She was educated at Park School, an all-girls private school in Glasgow.[1][3] She studied at the University of Aberdeen, graduating with an undergraduate Master of Arts (MA Hons) degree in 1938.[4]

Military career

In April 1941, Drummond joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and served as a Wren writer (equivalent in rank to able seaman).[2] In October 1941, she was commissioned as a third officer (equivalent to sub-lieutenant) with seniority from 25 September 1941.[5] In October 1942, she was promoted to second officer (equivalent to lieutenant) with seniority from 29 August 1942.[6] In early 1944, she joined the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth.[2] She was "responsible for the administration and paperwork relating to the command's role in operation Neptune":[2] as such, she was the first woman to learn about the Normandy landings.[2] In April 1944, she was made an acting first officer (equivalent to lieutenant commander) with seniority from 5 April 1944;[7] this promotion was confirmed in August 1944.[8] After the Normandy landings, she was posted to India where she worked as assistant secretary to its flag officer.[2] Then, with promotion to superintendent (equivalent to captain), she joined the staff of Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Fleet.[2]

Having returned to the United Kingdom, Drummond undertook a number of leadership posting: she served as the officer in charge of HMS Dauntless, the initial training establishment for the Women's Royal Naval Service, head of the WRNS officer training course at Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and Superintendent (training and drafting).[2] She was deputy director of the WRNS and then, from June 1964 to 1967, Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service.[2] As director, she was granted the rank commandant (equivalent to commodore).[2][9] She retired from the Royal Navy in 1967.[1]

Honours

In the 1960 New Year Honours, Drummond was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[10] On 4 June 1964, she was appointed an Honorary Aide-de-Camp to Queen Elizabeth II.[9] In the 1965 New Year Honours, she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), and therefore granted the title dame.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "DRUMMOND, Dame (Edith) Margaret". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. November 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Thomas, Lesley (2004). "Drummond, Dame (Edith) Margaret (1917–1987)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "Till the end of their days". The Herald. 12 January 2001. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "Oral history a to z individuals". Special Collections Centre. University of Aberdeen. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "No. 35313". The London Gazette. 17 October 1941. p. 6042.
  6. ↑ "No. 35748". The London Gazette. 16 October 1942. p. 4502.
  7. ↑ "No. 36490". The London Gazette. 28 April 1944. p. 1954.
  8. ↑ "No. 36678". The London Gazette. 29 August 1944. p. 4017.
  9. 1 2 "No. 43342". The London Gazette. 5 June 1964. p. 4824.
  10. ↑ "No. 41909". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1959. p. 6.
  11. ↑ "No. 43854". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1965. p. 5.
Military offices
Preceded by
Jean Davies		 Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service
1964–1967		 Succeeded by
Marion Kettlewell
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