I Only Joined for the Hat: Redoubtable Wrens at War - Their Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs (Paperback) - Common

by Christian Lamb

In 1939 the young Christian Lamb felt she had to "do her bit" for the war effort. Her comfortable life was about to be turned upside down. With a Naval background, the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was the obvious choice, besides it had by far the most attractive uniform topped by the splendid tricorne hat. On joining as a lowly Wren rating she found that this crowning glory was not for her but strictly for officers only. It was to be the first of many nasty surprises. In I Only Joined For The Hat the author wittily describes how class and snobbery had no place in a world of girls from all social backgrounds, suddenly plunged into life together. From scrubbing floors and squad drill to coding and catering, Christian peppers her pages with amusing observations.

232 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2007

About the author

Christian Lamb (Fellow of the Linnean Society & member of the Dendrology Society) is intrepid, impetuous, adventurous, and always fun.
The daughter of an admiral, herself a Wren, then a naval wife, she has the discipline of the quarterdeck in her system. Christian had left school at 18 and was in France staying with a French family, later planning to go on to Oxford when her father sent her a telegram saying war was imminent.
She is an authority on the life and adventures of Sir Joseph Banks (1743 – 1820).

Reviews

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2021 bk 259. Yesterday I needed a large print book as I was having my eyes dilated. From my shelves I grabbed I Only Joined for the Hat. One of the smaller percentage of enlisted women during WWII, the WRENS (Royal Navy) filled many different jobs. Christian Lamb rounded up stories of her acquaintances - several of which were excerpts from their own memoirs. Of her own story, there are only bits and pieces. I enjoyed the snippets of other former WRENS, but wish that Christian Lamb had provided more details of her own WREN journey in the book. I have most of the books she refers to and they bring the days of WWII for England a freshness that this book didn't. I will keep it for the unique stories she does publish (which is why this is getting a 4), but now remember why I had not re-read it before.

[Jane Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant! Love all the detail and the humour. It captures the times and as I can remember my mum's account of WW2 (see Sister Sunshine, a wartime romance) it is especially enjoyable. Some girls had lived very sheltered lives and suddenly they were thrown into situations with a lot of responsibility and needed courage and stamina. Excellent read if you enjoy real life WW2.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read of the experiences of members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS, also known as Wrens) in the Second World War. While a lot is autobiographical, there is also substantial material from other Wrens, which helps provide a much broader impression of life in the service than Lamb’s own experience would have, and makes the context provided by the book much more valuable. The stories range from the start of the war right up until the end, and include stories of plotting while the raid on St Nazaire was underway, and of involvement in preparations for the invasion of France.

It’s not a methodical examination, but more a series of vignettes, and it succeeds at this by providing a range of experiences, from a range of characters, with a range of tones, while remaining a cohesive work, and showing the author’s character. There isn’t a bibliography, as it’s not really the kind of work that needs one, but the other books and the periodical drawn on are referenced within the text. There is handily an index, and there are a small but noticeable number of images (photographs/period advertising/artwork) scattered throughout the work that help provide visual context.

The only downside was that sometimes the images were reproduced a bit small, with text that could only be read with a magnifying glass (at least for my eyes, which aren’t great, but aren’t bad either). Some of the language required the dictionary on occasion (terms that are not in common use these days), but only every now and again. There are also a few occasional editing slips (for example, HMS Oribi was an O class rather than Tribal class destroyer) but I didn’t see anything material or that had a bearing on the story, and it’s no reason at all not to give the book a read.

All in all, for anyone wanting an accessible, enjoyable and well-written series of stories of life in the WRNS during WW2, this book is a good pick.

[Barbara McGregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating insight into the work undertaken by women of the Women’s Royal Naval Service during WWII. Christian’s book is honest, detailed and covers a wide ranging selection of the experiences that Wrens lived during this time. A must for all who want to read the truth about the difficulties service women faced together with the challenges they experienced on a daily basis.